


Shattered Worlds

by Valleygirl285



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Love, Other, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 59,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24470785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valleygirl285/pseuds/Valleygirl285
Summary: Picks up when Team Free Will make it back to the bunker after Rowena sacrificed herself.  Dean and Sam are in the map room when a portal rift opens, and two familiar faces come running through.
Relationships: Donna Hanscum & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Donna Hanscum & Jody Mills, Jo Harvelle & Dean Winchester & Gabriel, Jo Harvelle & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Jo Harvelle & Gabriel, Jo Harvelle & Jody Mills, Jo Harvelle & Sam Winchester, Jo Harvelle/Dean Winchester, Jody Mills & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Comments: 10
Kudos: 119





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note: I’m going to being playing fast in loose with the time frame of the events for Season 15 but hey that’s half the fun of fan fiction writing.

Prologue

Dean and Sam looked up in shock when they heard the audio static electricity crackling overhead before they saw the portal tear across the room.

“What the Hell? Dean said as he looked at his brother as they both pulled their guns out and pointed toward the familiar dimension portal opening. “Like we don’t have enough to deal with?” He huffed.

They saw the two figures run though quickly together just as the portal closed.

The brothers gapped at the two individuals. If seeing the Archangel Gabriel wasn’t a big enough shock the very pregnant woman standing in front of them literally shook both men to their very core.

“Jo?” Dean and Sam said at the same time.

Chapter 1

Dean barely had time to register what had just happened before Castiel came rushing in. “Dean, Sam there has been a rip between our world and another dimension...Gabriel?”

“Welcome to the party Cas.” Dean quipped.

Castiel looked at the other angel and asked. “Why are you here?”

Gabriel looked at his brother with barely hidden disgust. “Seems somebody or should I say somebodies pissed the old man off and he decided to take it out on our dimension...on our Dean and Sam...”

“Gabriel,” Jo whispered as she reached for the archangel as she felt her legs give out on her.

“I got you Darling.” Gabriel said as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the table and sat her in a chair, brushing a kiss on her forehead that angered Dean in a way that he knew he had no right to feel.

Kneeling he rubbed her arms. “You need to eat and get some rest. Taking care of you and the baby are my number one concern.”

She nodded her head as she reached out and took his hand in hers before looking at the other men and saw the way they frowned at them before turning back to Gabriel. “A glass of water would be good.”

“Of course,” Sam said as he hurried to the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later with the water and a plate with a muffin on it.

“I grabbed you something to eat too.” He said shyly.

Jo accepted the plate. “Thank you, Sam.,” She murmured as she glanced up at Dean before turning her attention back to the plate.

“I’ll ask you again, why are you here?” Castiel said as he stared at his brother.

“I have a better question, how are you even alive. I saw you killed in the apocalypse world.” Dean said as he eyed Jo.

“Oh Dean, like something like that could keep me down.” Gabriel taunted before he continued. “I managed to find my way to another dimension where I met that Dean and Sam. Imagine my surprise when I also met yours or should I say that Dean’s wife.” He told the hunter.

Dean sucked in a surprise breath. This Jo and a version of himself are married. Then what the Hell is going on with this Jo and Gabriel.

Jo nibbled on a piece of the muffin as she kept sneaking glances up at Dean, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Explain Gabriel.” Castiel snapped at his brother.

“Look, Sunshine the past week has been a bitch. Jo needs to eat and lay down. We can have a pow-wow later.”

“Gabriel its fine,” Jo reassured the angel as she wiped at the tears that she had begun to silently shed. “It’s not going to be any easier later.”

“Darling...” he murmured softly. “I swore...”

“I know but telling them now or a few hours from now isn’t going to make a difference.” She said before turning her attention back to the other three men. “It started last Friday.”

“What started last Friday?” Dean asked as he and Sam shared a look that didn’t go unnoticed by Jo.

“Our world started to fall apart.” She said simply.

“Fall apart?” Castiel repeated.

Gabriel snorted in disgust. “Oh, you know the old man’s favorites. Famine, pestilence, earthquakes, floods and oh opening the gates of Hell to let the demons walk freely among man.”

Jo took a shaky breath. “John was the first to fall.”

Dean sunk down into the chair across from her. “Dad, our Dad was still alive in your dimension up to last week?” He asked in disbelief.

She gave him a sad smile. “He had come over to put together the baby’s crib.”

“Oh God.” Sam said as he put her hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“He didn’t make a deal to save my life with Azazel?” Dean asked.

“Yellow Eyes? John killed him in 04 after he and Sam finally got their hands on the colt.”

“2004 that was a year before he took off.” Dean thought out loud.

“Took off?” Jo repeated. “John never took off.”

“But that’s in our dimension Dean.” Sam reasoned before turning his attention back to Jo. “In your dimension when did you and Dean meet?”

“I met my Dean in 2001 when you two and John help my Mom with something.” She said blushing slightly before admitting. “We started dating that fall.”

“Dating.” Sam repeated a little shock by the idea.

Dean blushed at what Jo was saying after he did a quick calculation in his head. “Sixteen! I was...I mean the other Dean was twenty-two and dating a kid.”

Sam cleared his throat, also a little uncomfortable at the thought of a 22-year-old Dean hooking up with a 16-year-old Jo. “Dean let her tell her story because obviously things were pretty different for them.”

“Okay but you need to tell us everything, no censoring. We need to understand where our lives differ.” Dean conceded.

Jo sighed as she took a sip of water. “Alright. How far back do you want me to go? I can only repeat what Dean, John and Sammy told me about their lives before I knew them.”

Sam smiled at Jo. “I would assume prior to us meeting with you it would be paralleled to our lives. Our Mom was killed when I was six months old and our Dad started hunting.

Jo nodded her head in agreement and took a sip of water. “I met John, Dean and Sam when my Mom sent them and Bobby out to bring me home after I ran off with a hunter named Gordon to track and kill a Rawhead. They found me being used as bait by Gordon.” She explained, a little shock at the way Dean’s hands balled into fists

She smiled slightly. “I thought John was going to kill Gordon after he had killed that Rawhead. He just glared at me, told Dean and Sam to drive me home and that he would meet up with us after he had a little talk with Gordon.”

Sam and Dean snorted as both mumbled, “asshole.”

“Guess you two have run into this world Gordon too.” She declared before she began her story again.

“So, Dean and Sammy drove me back to my Mom. Sammy tried to be nice but Dean...he literally lectured me for six hours until we had stopped at some disgusting motel to get some sleep. I had enough and we got into a screaming match that drove poor Sam out of the room in search of food. One minute we were yelling and cursing each other and then next thing I know Dean just grabbed me and kissed me.”

Dean cleared his throat still uncomfortable at the thought of a 22 version of him making on a 16-year-old Jo.

“It’s not what you think.” She said quickly when she saw the look on the older hunter’s face. “My husband, my Dean apologized and said that wasn’t going to happen again any time soon, but faith seem to have other plans. When we met back up with John at The Roadhouse Bobby was there too and they both had already talked to my Mom and told her she better accept that I was going to start hunting sooner or later and that the best thing she could do to protect me was to let me be trained properly. They both convinced her to let Dean spend the summer with us training me.” She explained.

“We both tried to so hard to not to fall for each other, but it still happened. He finally asked me straight up if I wanted to be with him and I knew I did, and he went and spoke to my Mom and asked permission to date me.”

“No way Ellen Harvelle would have agreed to let her 16 years old daughter date me... I mean the other me.” Dean said.

“At first, no. Eventually though she realized that he wasn’t just a dog trying to get in my pants and saw the way he looked at me was the same way my Dad use to looked at her and she finally caved and agreed that we could see each other as long as Dean was willing to follow her rules and accept that if he hurt me she would make earrings out of his testicles.”

Sam snorted in amusement. “Now that sounds like Ellen.” Sam said as he slapped a clearly embarrassed Dean on the back.

“So, what were the rules?” Sam asked having a bit too much fun at his brother’s expense.

“Pretty much the same as John’s.” She said with a faint smile gracing her lips. “No sex or hunting until I was 18.”

“Our Dad had dating rules for Dean?!” Sam chuckle.

“Shut it Sammy!” Dean hissed as his blush deepened.

“I believe we are getting off tracking.” Cas said in annoyance.

“So close, yet so far. It’s just track not tracking.” Dean told the angel who proceeded to glare at the hunter who shrugged his shoulders.

“Dean started staying at The Roadhouse in between hunts so we could see each other and eventually John and Sam started to stay too.”

“That can’t be right. Sam would have been in Palo Alto then”

“Palo Alto, you mean when he went to Stanford. He decided to transfer to Bellevue University after he came home between his freshman and sophomore year to be closer to everyone. I think Bobby’s stroke really freaked him out.”

“Whoa, Bobby had a stroke then! That definitely didn’t happen here.” Dean said.

“Yes. That was the first time I saw my Dean cry was that day at the hospital when John signed the DNR form. He knew Bobby wouldn’t want to be kept alive on machines.” Jo said as she looked down at her hands before she continued. “It was pretty touch and go the first 24 hours. I remember my Mom walking away and none of us knew then that she had called Sam to tell him and to let know she bought him a plane ticket home.”

“Sounds like your Mom was as amazing as our Ellen.” Sam said somberly.

“Yes, she was.” She agreed.

“So, Sam came home...” Dean said to encourage Jo to continue.

“Yeah, at first when Mom told Dean he had a small meltdown that his father and Sam would end up fighting, but as usual John surprised us. When he saw Sam walking down the hospital corridor, he stormed right up to him looking like he was gonna take a swing but when Sam stood before him in tears and choked out ‘Dad’ John just pulled him into a tight hug.”

Sam looked at Jo in shock. “Dad hugged me. Dad didn’t hug us.”

“He not only hugged you, but he also grabbed Dean and pulled him in and hugged him too. Hospitals tend to make people act differently.” She said.

“But Bobby survived the stroke?” Dean asked.

Jo nodded. “He did. My Dean moved in with him when he came home to help take care of him and to handle the scrapyard for him too.”

Dean nodded his head because he knew he would have done the same thing. “What you said that Sam was with Dad when he got the colt. Was Sam hunting while he was at school?”

Jo took a deep breath as she reached down and rubbed her baby bump. “He was helping John because Dean didn’t want to leave me.”

“I find it hard to believe that any version of me would sit that out.” Dean said as he looked at Jo skeptical.

“Dean and I were already married then, we got married a couple of days after my 18th birthday. Anyway, we had found out we were pregnant a few weeks earlier but...” She explained as she tried not to cry. “We lost the baby.” She whispered finally.

“And he stayed to be with you.” Dean said in a gentle voice.

“I told him that John needed him, but this was our second miscarriage within a year.” She explained feeling the need to defend her husband.

“I wouldn’t have left you either.” He reassured her a little shock that a healthy 19-year-old woman would have two miscarriages.

Sam looked over at his brother and saw the pain look on his face. Chuck told them that they were his favorite version but obviously he screwed with the other version of them too and he had a sickening feeling Bobby’s stroke and the miscarriages were how he tormented that dimension’s Dean.

“It sounds like the major difference between us and your dimension is you and your Dean meeting and falling in love at that point in your lives.” Sam said as he cleared his throat.

Jo looked at Dean and saw the way he nodded his head as he stared at the ground. Finally, she asked the question that she was dreading. “You and your Jo... how long were you both together?”

Dean closed his eyes as images of his Jo flew through his mind. He looked up at the woman across from him. “We didn’t. Never the right place or right time.” Saying the line both hunters had teased each other with. “She was killed by a Hell Hound ten years ago saving my ass.” He added.

“Oh.” Jo said sadly.

Gabriel knelt down by Jo and took her hand in his before looking at his brother and the hunters. “She’s answered enough for now. So why don’t you tell us what you three did that caused Dad to flip all the other dimensions upside down.”

Castiel looked at Joanna and could feel the fatigue rolling off of her and decided that Gabriel was right and began the long story about what had happened with Lucifer, Dean agreeing to be Michael’s vessel, his betrayal, locking Michael up inside Dean’s head, his eventual escape, Jack defeating Michael and how it impacted him when he absorbed his grace. He told them about Mary and how they tried to control Jack after her death until the point he took off and how Chuck had come claiming to want to help but in reality, he was playing Dean to torment him. Finally, he told them that Sam had used the gun that Chuck had intended for Dean to use against Jack on Chuck after Chuck’s tantrum and he had killed Jack and the released the souls from Hell.

Jo stared wide eyes at what the angel told them and said the first thing that came to her. “God calls himself Chuck...seriously he couldn’t come up with something more interesting than Chuck.”

Everyone turned and watched Dean as he started laughing before he choked back a sob. He got up quickly and stormed out of the room.

Sam gave Jo a sad smile. “You really sounded like our Jo just now. I don’t think Dean’s ever really gotten over her sacrificing herself protecting him.”

“I know the feeling.” She murmured. At the confused look on Sam’s face she explained. “My John, Sammy and Dean all died protecting me and the baby while Gabriel worked on opening the portal.”

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat as he wiped his eyes. They were a family and they were happy until five short days ago. “I’m so sorry.” He said knowing how hollow those words were. “Can I ask about Bobby and your Mom?”

Jo nodded her head and said sadly. “We lost Bobby four years ago. He had a massive heart attack. The doctor said he was probably gone before he fell to the floor. My Mom passed two years ago after fighting cancer three times. When it came back a fourth time, she sat us down and said she was ready to go and that she wasn’t going through the treatments again. It was hard but we made the most of the time we had left.”

They all sat in silence for several minutes until Dean came back in carrying a glass of milk and a plate laden with scrambled eggs, toast and cut up strawberries and bananas.

“Eat.” He said as he put the food down in front of her. “I’m putting you in the room across from mine.” He added before turning and walking back out of the room to take care of the next task. Jo frowned at the plate in front of her before she shoved it away and hissed, “jerk.”

Sam looked at his brother’s retreating back before he hopped up and followed him towards the sleeping quarters. “Dean!”

The older hunter stopped and turned around. “What!” He snapped.

Sammy put his hands up in mock surrender. “Don’t you think we should talk about this?”

“Nothing to talk about. Her world isn’t safe for her and her family is dead thanks to us. She’s our responsibility now.”

“Dean, she’s not our Jo.” He said tentatively.

“You don’t think I know that.” He shouted.

“Well it’s not your decision Dean on if she stays here. She’s a grown woman and she needs to be the one to decide if she wants to stay. You just can’t steam roll over her like you just did.”

“Feeding her and putting a roof over her head makes me a bad guy.”

“No but maybe next time don’t drop a plate of food in front of her and order her to eat like she’s a stray dog you decided to take in.” Sam said.

Dean flushed at his brother’s comment before sighing. “Maybe you should be the one to talk to her going forward. I’m sure looking at my mug isn’t a-lot of fun for her.”

Sam glared at Dean. “Seriously! You coward!”

“Excuse me? What the Hell is that supposed to mean!”

“You’re not thinking of how she feels! You can’t handle seeing her because you never dealt with losing Jo or even acknowledge what she meant to you!”

“Screw you!” Dean screamed as he shoved his brother. “I see her face every night when I close my eyes. I carry her and Ellen deaths with me every fucking day!”

Sam stared at Dean wide eyed as he leaned against the wall and sagged to the floor burying his face in his arms before confessing in defeat. “We could have beaten the odds if I told her how I felt back in Duluth.”

Sam dropped down next to his brother. He tentatively wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “Look I know you had feelings for Jo and honestly I think you two would have made a good couple, but you can’t change the past Dean, you have to come to terms with it. Maybe the first step could be to try and be a friend to the woman in the other room because that’s what she needs right now.”

“I know. I’ll talk to her. She’s safer with us in here than out there.” Dean said as he slowly pushed himself up.

Sam watched his brother walk back towards the library. Maybe having this Jo and her baby in their lives would be good for Dean as well him.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the Kudo!! I really do appreciate them!! I hope people enjoy this next chapter. Thanks, Val

Dean walked in to see Gabriel crouching in front of Jo talking softly with Castiel standing behind his brother and both angels seem to be trying to convince the pregnant woman to eat the food Dean had made for her.

“May I please speak to Jo? Alone?” He asked.

The other men looked at her and when she nodded her head Gabriel stood to join Cas but before he left, he reached out and use his angel power to heat the food.

Dean went and poured himself a scotch and drained it quickly before pouring himself a second one. He felt Jo’s follow his movements. Sighing he turned and leaned against the table behind him. “I owe you another apology. I didn’t mean to steamroll over you like I did.”

“I don’t need you or your brother’s help. I told Gabriel we’re leaving.” She huffed as she folded her arms over her chest.

Dean sucked in a deep breath at her comment. “You should reconsider that decision. You’re safer here with us.” He said before adding as an afterthought, “please”.

“I’m not your problem.” She said. She had feared she wouldn’t be able to handle being in the same room with an alternate version of the man she had loved for over half her life, but this Dean was making it pretty easy. Yes, he was identical to her husband in looks but that seemed to be where the similarities ended.

Dean nodded his head as he went and joined her. He gave her a tentative smile as he tried to reason with her. “I get it. We got off on the wrong foot. I know the past week has been probably the hardest week of your life, but we have been dealing with these shit storms for almost 15 years. Let us help you keep your baby safe.”

Jo snorted at the man across from her. “Look Gabriel filled me in. I know about your deal...your time in Hell...on the rack...Sam and your half-brother going into the cage...purgatory. I get it God...Chuck...whatever you want to call him liked to screw with you two, but he screwed with us too.” She said as she pulled out her cell phone.

She pulled up her pictures and turned her phone so he could see what she had pulled up. His eyes widened when he saw a little girl with Jola blonde hair and his green eye. He had assumed this was her first pregnancy that didn’t end in a miscarriage.

She thrusted the phone at him and he took it wordlessly as he scrolled through picture after picture. He smiled sadly when he saw a photo of his Dad with the child on his shoulders as the other Dean was tickling her foot and all three were laughing.

“Her name was Siobhan. We had her a little over year after John killed Azazel.” She explained. “When she was 18 months, she got a terrible cough that she couldn’t shake, and she had no energy. When the medicine her pediatrician had given her wasn’t working and she began to cough up blood we rushed her to the hospital and that’s when we found out our little girl was born with a congenital heart defect.”

Taking a shaky breath, she went on. “I’m not going to pretend I know what it was like in Hell...on the rack. Same way you can’t pretend to know what it’s like to carry a child inside you...to give birth... to witness that child’s first breath. Then to hold that child in your arms as she takes her last breath as your husband sings to her because those were your little girl’s last words, ‘Daddy sing’. You see he made us suffer too.”

Dean stared at the woman across from him. “I’m sorry.” He whispered as he handed her back her phone. Chuck had tormented them over the past 15 years but what she just told him horrified him since it was an innocent child, he used to hurt them. “How old was she?”

Jo sighed as she saw the sadness in his eyes. “She was a four when she passed.”

Dean raised his glass and drained the scotch before he spoke again. “Stay and help us.”

“Help you?” She asked in confusion.

“Help us take Chuck down. Make him pay for what he’s done to us, to you and your family, to Siobhan.” He said as he stared in her eyes.

“If I agree to this then somethings need to change.” She told him as he got up to fill his glass for a third time.

“Excuse me.”

“This baby is going to be here long before you go toe to toe with Chuck and I hate to admit it, but I’ll need yours and Sam’s help as well as Gabriel with taking care of my baby.”

“Right. Well Sam may need a crash course in how to feed a baby and to change a diaper, but I have plenty of on hands experience from taking care of Sammy when he was a baby.” He said before he looked back up as he raised his glass and took a healthy sip.

“Well I’m sure you do but I’m not about to let an alcoholic around my child. You want me to stay and work together with you and Sam then you need to ease up on the booze.”

Dean narrowed his eyes at Jo. “Lady I’m a lot of things but I not a damn alcoholic.” He snapped, memories of getting his father in bed after a night of drinking flooded his mind.

“I was raised in a bar and I know a functioning alcoholic when I see one. I’m not putting my baby safety in your hands. Not when you’re downing scotch like it’s iced tea.”

Dean looked at her before reaching out to put the glass in his hand down. “Happy?” He hissed.

“Ecstatic.” She replied.

“Anything else?” He said with a forced smile that she knew was anything but friendly.

“Not right now.” She said returning the forced smile.

“Good we have a few rules around here that I expect you to follow. Number one we don’t waste food.” He said as he looked towards the discarded plate.

Jo looked at the food and winced. “I get it but honestly I don’t like eggs.”

“You love eggs, I made them for...” He stopped himself when he realized he was going to say when we were at Bobby’s.

“Your Jo like them I take it.” She said softly.

“I just assumed you like the same things as my Jo.” He admitted as he went to grab the plate.

“You know its fine. It won’t kill me to eat them.” She quickly said as she reached for the plate at the same time. They both pulled back when their hands touched causing the plate to drop on the floor.

“I’m so sorry!” Jo cried in embarrassment.

“It’s fine.” Dean reassured her as Sam walked back into the room. “Sammy will clean this up and I’ll show you where the kitchen is, and you can grab some food.”

“Clean up what?” Sam asked as he watched his brother start to reach out to help the pregnant woman across from him up but seemed to think better off and stood by her chair instead.

“Slight accident with the eggs.” Dean informed him nodding down towards the broken plate and food littering the floor.

“Oh right, I’ve got it.” Sam said as Dean went to usher Jo out towards the kitchen. He frowned when he saw the discarded drink on the table and called after his brother.

“You can have it or dump it.” Dean called back as he gave Jo a pointed look.

“Ummm okay.” He said not sure what to think of that.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

Dean stayed with Jo as she made herself a ham sandwich.

“You sure you don’t want something else? We had Chinese that I can heat up for you.”

“No this is good; I don’t think I would be able to hold it down to tell you the truth. My stomach was is still doing flip flops from coming through the portal.”

“Right, of course.”

She ate in silence as Dean tried to make himself busy by cleaning imagery dirty counters.

“Did you love her?” She asked quietly.

He sighed as he put the rag down. “I...We never got the chance to fall in love...too many things in our way but maybe if things had been different for us it would have happened.”

“Has there been anyone else?” She asked, hating that a part of her was anxious that this Dean found love with another woman.

“Ummm you really want to hear about other women?” He asked a faint blush on his cheek. If the other Dean was anything like him by 22, he had more than his fair share of hook ups but only one woman that he was serious about at that time.

She laughed nervously. “Probably better if I don’t know. It was hard enough when my Dean told me his sexual history before we...well before we became a couple, especially when he told me about Cassie.”

Dean almost dropped the coffee pot in his hand as she said the name of the woman he was just thinking about. “Jesus that’s a name I haven’t heard in a lifetime.”

Jo put her sandwich down. “I’m ashamed to say a part of me is relieved you aren’t involved with another woman; I don’t think I could have handled seeing you with someone.” She confessed.

He nodded his head in understanding. Up until a week ago she was with his doppelgänger in her dimension. Sharing their life...their excitement about the child growing inside her. He couldn’t blame her for the way she felt.

“Nothing to be ashamed of,” he said in a voice he barely recognized. A voice full of compassion, an emotion he had thought he was no longer capable of feeling.

She looked down at her hands and when she looked up again, he saw the tears coursing down her cheeks and without thinking he dropped to his knees in front of her and pulled her into his arms.

He held her as she sobbed, whispering that he had her. That she would get through this. That he was here for her, that Sammy was here for her, Gabriel and Castiel...that she wasn’t alone.

Gradually her sobs subsided, and he pulled back as they both stared into each other’s eyes. He would never know what possessed him, but he slowly leaned in and kissed her.

She returned the kiss, relishing at the feel of his lips in hers. Her eyes drifted shut, images of her life with her husband flashed through her mind.

This was a dream, she was home in bed next to her husband and when her eyes open, he will be there, smiling at her...his green eyes sparkling as he reached down to touch her stomach to feel their baby kicking.

Dean groaned when he heard her softly moan as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her closer.

Just as quickly as the kiss began it ended when Jo pushed Dean away, a look of horror on her face. This wasn’t a dream and he wasn’t her husband.

“Oh God,” she cried as she jumped from the chair and hurried over to the sink and threw up what little food she had in her stomach.

She was a horrible person! How could she disrespected her husband who sacrificed himself to give her and their baby a chance to make it to this dimension and she’s barely here a few hours and she kissed another man.”

“I’m sorry Jo...I don’t know what came over me.” Dean said as he tried to put a hand on her back.

“Don’t touch me!” She snapped as she stood up straighter before turning and glaring at him. “Why couldn’t you be different? You look exactly like him! Even your damn haircut is the same! How am I supposed to mourn him when I’m here with you?” She cried blindly slapping at his hands as he tried to calm her down.

“Calm down Jo! You need to calm down!” He shouted as he tried to grab her. Sam came rushing in when he heard his brother shouting.

“Shit!” Sam said as he saw a hysterical Jo pushing Dean away. Her screams were loud enough that Gabriel and Castiel quickly joined them.

“Jo!” Gabriel called out as he shot Dean a look that clearly said ‘back off’ as he gathered the woman in his arms. “It’s okay Darling...Shhh.”

Jo collapsed into the angel’s arms and wept miserable, “he’s not my Dean. Why can’t he be my Dean?”

“Dean,” Castiel said as he and Sam pulled him into the corridor. “What happened?””

Dean blushed as he looked at his brother and friend. “I...I kissed her.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open in shock. “What were you thinking?” He snapped.

Castiel stared at the hunter. “Our Jo loved you Dean and obviously you’ve never been able to cope with the fact that you were in love with her, but you can’t expect this Jo to replace her.”

“I don’t think that! Look it was an accident.”

“Dean,” Sammy said in frustration.

The three stopped talking when Gabriel came out carrying a sleeping Jo in his arms. “I had to force her to sleep. I’ll go lay her down and then you can tell me what you did to cause that reaction.”

Dean looked at the other angel. “I put her in the room across from mine.”

“Jo will share my room next to Cas.” He told him as he stood in front of Dean.

Dean wanted to say if she was going to share anyone’s bed it would be his, but he knew that was a knee jerk reaction that he had no right to. Instead he slowly nodded as Gabriel stood in front of him, dreading their upcoming discussion.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo gives birth to her baby and Dean comes to term with his feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudo!! You guys as Dean would say are AWESOME! Thanks again and enjoy this next part.

Chapter 3

The next two week went by in a blur and Dean was currently arguing with Jo again. “What the Hell is your problem!” He shouted.

“I need to get out of here!” She snapped.

“Jo,” Sam said in what he hoped was a soothing voice. “I can take you out. Maybe go shopping for somethings for the baby.”

Dean shot his brother a dirty look. “I already told her I would get It provisions!”

Jo looked at Dean in disgust before storming out of the room. Dean watched her retreating back and slammed the book in his hand on the table, “she a bitch!”

Sam stared at his brother in shock. Since that first day when Dean has kissed Jo the bunker was in turmoil. First, he managed to drive Cas away, Gabriel refused to speak to him, and all Dean and Jo did was fight.

Instead of dealing with his feelings his brother decided that alienating everyone was easier. What he was doing to Jo though turned his stomach. It was like he wanted her to hate him and he was doing an incredible job at accomplishing that.

“She’s not a bitch!” Sam repeated angrily. “She’s just trying to deal with a giant asshole!”

“Excuse me! I’m the one trying to accommodate her!”

“Seriously Dean? All you do is bark orders at her, and I swear if you call her baby It again, I’ll deck you!”

“Whatever,” ’Dean huffed as he grabbed the whiskey and poured himself a drink.

Sam sighed, since the kiss his drinking was actually getting worse. “It’s only 10:30 in the morning Dean.”

“I know how to tell time Samuel.” He snapped as he downed his drink in one gulp.

“You know what,” Sam said in a voice full of loathing as he shoved the bottle at him. “Drink the whole damn bottle and then go pass out in your room and give us a break from your toxic attitude.”

Dean stared after his brother as he stormed out of the room. He reached down for the bottle but stopped when he heard Jo scream. He didn’t hesitate as he took off towards the scream. He froze when he saw Jo double over and a pool of liquid by her feet.

How he ended up being the first to reach her he didn’t know but he didn’t give her a chance to argue as he quickly scooped her into his arms and started towards the garage. He practically plowed Sammy and Gabriel down as he rounded the corner.

“Water broke.” He told the other men wincing when Jo grabbed his biceps and squeezed when she had a contraction. “Sammy you drive.” He ordered as he pushed past and continued down the hall.

Sam and Gabriel exchanged a quick look before hurrying after Dean and Jo. He just got her settled in the back seat when they join them.

Dean went to move back to let Gabriel get in beside Jo but stopped when she reached out and grabbed his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes.

Damn after basically shitting all over her these past two weeks she actually wanted him to be with her. He wasn’t a fool. He knew it wasn’t really him she wanted; she wanted her husband but that wasn't impossible so he would have to do.

Gabriel saw the look on Jo’s face and leaned in and whispered in Dean’s ear. “I will end you if you don’t man up and help her through this.”

He shot a quick look at the angel and nodded his head slightly before sliding into the back seat and taking Jo’s hand in his.

Jo’s eyes glisten with tears as she moaned. “This doesn’t feel right.”

“It’ll be fine.” He said trying to reassure her. “Why don’t you close your eyes and try to rest.”

The last time Dean had felt this helpless was in Carthage at that damn hardware store watching his Jo bleeding out. It couldn’t happen again; he wouldn’t let it. The next twenty minutes was torture and Dean frowned when Jo’s eyes flew open as she began to twist in pain before covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with horror as she began to gag.

“Shit,” Dean said as he quickly sat her up more and leaned her head towards the floor of the backseat as she began to violently vomit. “Sammy, we need to get her to the hospital now!” He shouted as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder to study her.

“Two minutes out!” He told his brother.

“I got you Jo.” Dean said in a soft voice as he rubbed her back as she finished throwing up.

“I don’t want to lose this baby.” She cried as she leaned into the man who looked so much like her husband but wasn’t.

“Not happening Harvelle!” Dean told her sternly as Sam pulled into the front of the hospital and all three men jumped out of the car. Gabriel helped Dean get Jo out of the car and in his arms as he carried her towards the entrance only to be greeted by Sam, several medical personnel and a gurney.

No sooner had he laid her down than they were whisking her down the corridor towards the ER the doctor asking Jo question after question about her pregnancy.

“Sir you and your friends need to wait here.” A nurse said as she stopped Dean from following them into the exam room and guided them into the waiting room.

“She....I can’t leave her alone.” Dean stammered.

The nurse frowned when she smelt alcohol on the breath of man in front of her. “Sir, have you been drinking?”

Dean blanched at the woman. He found that he couldn’t form a decent response and practically sighed in relief when Sam stepped over and asked if the nurse could get them an update on Jo.

Gabriel joined them and handed Dean a cup of coffee he had grabbed from the coffee station in the small waiting area after hearing the nurse’s accusation.

“Thanks.” He mumbled as he sat down. He looked up when his brother dropped a package of mints in his lap and saw the look of disgust in his eyes.

He sighed and quickly popped a few into his mouth before tossing them back to Sam.

“I only had one drink.” He said to them.

The men said nothing as they sat waiting for news. They sat in silence for over an hour before Sam sighed and looked over at Gabriel asked. “If this is serious can you heal her and the baby?”

“If it’s not too serious I may be able to, but I used up a lot of grace getting us here.” He admitted. “Maybe if Castiel was here too we could work together.”

Sam shot Dean a pointed look and his brother nodded his head as he stood and walked away.

The older Winchester made his way down the hall and slipped into the stairwell. “Cas, Jo’s in labor but something isn’t right, and Gabriel doesn’t think he has enough mojo to help her if it’s something the doctors can’t handle. I know I’m the reason you took off, but we need you back here...Jo and the baby need you.” He prayed before adding in a choke whisper, “please.”

He looked around and sighed as he stepped out and headed back towards the waiting room. He got back just as the doctor was walking up to Sam and Gabriel.

“Doctor, how is she?” Sam asked.

“Her blood pressure is through the roof. That, the cramping and vomiting are classic sighs of preeclampsia, but Jo said that when she went for her last appointment three weeks ago everything was normal. It’s almost like she is having sudden attack which I’ve never seen before. It’s not very pleasant but it’s usually treatable.”

Dean looked at the doctor and frowned. “Usually,”

“We’re rushing the tests to confirm if we’re dealing with preeclampsia but I’m going to be very frank with you. Based on how quickly this has occurred and how severe the symptom are right now my main concern is placental abruption.”

“What’s that?” Sam asked as he placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“It’s a condition in which the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery. Severe abruption can cause heavy bleeding, which can be life-threatening for both Jo and her baby.”

“Doctor Carter.” One of the nurses called as she held a file in her hands. “The lab work is back.”

“Excuse me.” He said as he walked over and quickly read the test results. They watched the way he frowned at the papers in his hands before turning to the nurse. “Have them prep OR 4 and page Dr. Shane and Dr. Kingsley for consultation and emergency surgery assistance.”

“You’re going to operate?” Dean asked as he, Sam and Gabriel hurried over when they heard the doctor giving the orders to the nurse.

“All her levels are extremely elevated, and the baby’s vitals are very weak. We need to perform an emergency c-section.” He explained. “I’m sorry I need to scrub for surgery, time is at the utmost importance at this point.”

“I want to see her.” Dean said, shaking Sam’s hand off his shoulder.

The doctor stared at Dean and pulled him aside. “My nurse informed me she smelt alcohol on your breath earlier. I will not allow you to go in and upset my patient.”

“I’m fine. I just need to let her know I’m here for her.” He said practically begging.

“You’re the baby’s father?”

Sam stared in shock when Dean nodded his head. “Yes, Jo’s my wife.”

“Very well Mr. Winchester, tell the nurse that I approve that you can see your wife for ten minutes.” The Doctor said as he headed towards surgery.

“Thank you.” Dean said as he turned to head towards Jo’s room.

“Dean!” Gabriel hissed.

“Look one of us needs to see her.” He said.

“And that someone is you.” Sam said.

He looked at both of them. “Well I know she would prefer him but that’s not happening, and she reached out for me earlier so yeah it’s me for now.” He snapped as he pushed past Gabriel.

“Dean,” his brother said tentatively.

“I know Sammy, I know.” He said warily.

Gabriel and Sam stood aside to let Dean pass. Dean walked the short distance to the room Jo was currently in. He stood in front of her door for a few seconds before he reached up and knocked gently on the door and entered,

“Excuse me Sir.” The nurse said causing Jo to look up.

Dean spoke softly to the nurse who nodded before making her way over to Jo with Dean following behind.

“Dr. Carter said you could visit for 10 minutes. Just press the button if you need me.” She told her with a smile.

“Thank you.” Jo replied as she looked at Dean. She waited until the nurse was back at her station before turning her attention to the hunter.

“Look Gabriel, Sammy and I are right outside. I’ll get ahold of Cas. Between him and Gabriel they can make sure you and the baby are fine and back in the bunker before you know it.”

“Dean...please...” she cried.

“Don’t get upset Harvelle. They’ll kick me out and I’ll have a pissed off angel on my ass.”

Jo gave a weak chuckle, “its Winchester.” She said before checking to see if the nurse could hear them. “If I don’t make it and my baby does...you promise me that you and Sam will keep my baby safe.” She begged.

Dean nodded his head, not trusting his voice not to break.

Jo sighed in relief and was startled slightly when he reached down and took her hand in his. The tears she tried to control slowly began to course down her cheek. “I... can you...will you....” She stutters embarrassingly

“Whatever you need Jo.” He whispered as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly.

Jo’s breath hitched as she stared into Dean’s eyes. Eyes she knew so well, the same eyes her Siobhan had had. Without thinking she lifted her other hand to his cheek and brushed away the tears that she doubted he realized he was shedding.

“I need him.” She told him honestly.

“I would change places with him if I could. To give you and this child the husband and daddy you both deserve.” He told her and he would. If he could change places with her Dean, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Jo ducked her head at his comment, and she knew he meant every word. Looking up she bit her lower lip as she heard herself saying in a whisper, “Kiss me. Be him for me for a few seconds and make me feel like everything is going to be alright.”

She saw the look of shock on his face and quickly began to apologize. “I’m sorry... I have no right to ask that of you...”

Her apology was cut off as Dean leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss that was so familiar yet new all at the same time.

He slowly pulled away and mated his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry I’ve been an asshole the last two weeks. I don’t do well with dealing with things like emotions.”

Jo smile at his confession. “Well you didn’t have me forcing you to talk the past 18 years.”

“I wish I did...have my Jo back then things may have been different.”

“I’m truly sorry you didn’t get the chance to fall in love with your Jo. That you were denied that.”

Dean gave a sad chuckle. “Oh, I was head over heels in love with her.” He confessed saying the words out loud finally, “just never had the balls to tell her.”

Jo smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. They both turned when the nurse cleared her throat. “We need to prep Jo for surgery.”

“Right,” Dean said as he looked back to Jo. “We’re right outside.” He told her as he leaned down and kissed her forehead before pulling back and looking into her eyes.

He swallowed the lump in his throat remembering kissing his Jo that way before leaving her and Ellen in that damn hardware store, he couldn’t leave it with this Jo the same way. “Don’t hate me.” he begged as he leaned down and kissed her again.

He groaned as her fingers dance across his cheek before settling her hand on his neck as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. He felt like he could spend hours kissing her but reluctantly pulled away when the nurse coughed again to make her presence known.

Dean actually blushed at the smile the other woman gave them and teasingly told them to behave.

“Right outside Sweetheart.” He told her as he squeezed her hand and slowly walked away, listening as the nurse began to explain what she was getting ready to do to prep Jo for surgery.

He sagged against the closed door and sighed when he saw his brother and Gabriel rush over to him.

“She seems okay.” He told them looking over their shoulders towards the waiting room, hoping to see Castiel.

“Cas?” He asked.

“I’ve tried to reach him but he’s not picking up.” Sam told him as he grabbed Dean’s arm and they all made their way back to the waiting room.

“Right.” Dean said as he instinctively reached for his flask but stopped when he saw Jo being wheeled from the room and giving him, Sam and Gabriel a weak smile.

“Dean,” Sam said worriedly when he saw the way his brother’s breathing seemed to come out in short gasps.

“I need to hit the head.” He said as he shot up and hurried down the hall. He barely made it into the stall before he began throwing up.

Gradually he was able to get up and make his way to the sinks, using his hands to cup some water into his mouth and rinsed. He looked up into the mirror above the sink and for a brief second, he saw his father’s haggard face staring back at him.

He continued to stare at himself in the mirror as he reached in his pocket and pulled out his flask. With slightly shaking hands he unscrewed the top and lifted the container to his mouth.

His eyes caught his reflection again and he was seeing his father standing before him once more. He slowly lowered the flask and without thinking he turned it over and watched the golden-brown liquid as it swirled in the basin for a brief moment before going down the drain.

He closed his eyes as he heard the familiar sound of Castiel’s wings. “Am I destined to fall in love with every version of her?” He asked as he wiped at his tears.

“I know your histories are different but she’s still the same Jo deep down.” He explained. “Same way you’re like her Dean deep down.”

“Are you saying she could fall in love with me?” He asked.

“She already has, she just needs time to actually mourn her husband and their lives together but when she’s ready to move on she will find her way to you.” He told him honestly.

Dean stared at the angel in front of him. Not sure how to process what he told him. but he knew that he had address his main concern. “You and Gabriel have to take care of them. I can’t lose her, and I can’t lose this child. I know it’s not my baby but...Cas I’ve felt a connection to this baby since Jo got here.”

Cas stared at Dean as the realization hit him. “You were trying to push Jo away because you’re afraid to let yourself love this baby... you don’t want to lose another child.”

“Did you really think I didn’t care about losing Jack?” He asked, the pain he felt crushed him.

“I cannot deny this. After what happened with Mary.” He explained.

“I...we could have helped him if we understood. Even though I loved him, I couldn’t pretend he hadn’t become a danger not only to us but to all the innocents out there. I hated what he became...what he did to himself for me.” He explained.

Cas nodded his head in understanding before reaching out to place his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Jo and the baby will be fine. The doctor will find that it is not the worst-case scenario. It is the excitement of the past two weeks catching up with her unfortunately and caused her to go into early labor but only by a couple of weeks, the baby will be fine. I promise you that.”

Dean took a shaky breath. “The baby’s heart. Their daughter Siobhan...she was born with a heart defect...is the baby in danger?”

“She’s fine Dean, she is just going to be a little small but other than that she with be healthy.” He reassured the hunter.

“She,” Dean murmured. “It’s a girl?” He smiled when Castiel nodded his head yes.

“We should join Sam and Gabriel to await word on the birth.” Castiel said.

“Wait Cas...what I said before...that it was your fault...that was bullshit. If anyone knows about keeping information close to the vest when it comes to someone, they love it’s me and I can’t damn you for doing something me or even Sammy would have done.”

“Thank you for that. However, I believe we will need more time before we are ready to trust each other again completely.”

“Right,” Dean said a little curtly. Apologies weren’t easy for him and it pissed him off that Cas didn’t accept his immediately.

Dean followed Cas outside to join his brother and Gabriel. Cas repeated what he had told Dean about Jo and the baby and the four men sat and waited for word.

After an hour sitting in silence Sam looked over at Dean. “You okay?”

“Yeah fine.” He told him before looking at the door they had wheeled Jo through. He turned to look at Sam and said. “We need to hit a store later. We need to get a ton of stuff for the baby.”

Sam chuckled. “Do you believe that there’ll be a baby in the bunker. So, what do you think we’ll need?” He asked as he pulled out his phone to start a list.

Dean sighed as he started to remember Sammy’s nursery and all the stuff they had back then. “Well we will need a car seat, bassinet, a crib, sheets, blankets, maybe one or two of those pack and plays things, nail clippers, baby wipes, a baby bathtub, baby wash, baby shampoo, changing table, lots of onesies, clothes, sleepers, swaddling blankets, burping cloths, newborn diapers, bottles, nipples and formula if Jo doesn’t nurse, breast pump if she does nurse. Jo will need heavy duty pads and probably nursing bras and some clothes too.” Dean ramble off before adding, “I forgot we’ll need a baby monitor too.”

“Dean she only one baby...you really think she’ll need all this?”

“I didn’t even include toys, mobiles or binkies.”

“Binkies what are binkies?” Sam asked thinking his brother was just making words up now.

“Pacifiers, Mom and Dad called yours a binkie.” He explained.

“Oh,” Sammy said realizing how closely Dean had paid attention when he was a baby. “Well it’s a good thing I got those cards from Charlie that we can use to buy all this stuff. We’ll need to hit a Wal-Mart to get everything you just mentioned.” He said happy that he had decided to record Dean instead of trying to type everything.

“I should have taken Jo to buy all this stuff this past week.” He said as he stared down at his hands.

Sam didn’t try to reassure his brother that it was fine because a part of him still was angry at the way he treated the pregnant woman and Dean wouldn’t have accepted it anyway.

They went back to sitting in silence while they waited for word. All four men looked up when they heard the doors to the OR area opened and Jo’s doctor came out smiling.

Jumping up they all rushed over to the doctor. “Mr. Winchester your wife and daughter are fine. The placenta hadn’t started to separate from the wall and there was no excess bleeding. Your daughter is a little small but nothing to be overly concerned about. We’ll keep them for a few days and then you will be able to take them home.” He explained.

“When can I see them?” He asked ignoring the way Gabriel was staring at him.

“You can go in once they are situated in their room. Speak to the nurse if you plan to stay overnight to help care for your daughter.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Dean said as the man turned to give additional instructions for Jo and the baby.

Gabriel grabbed Dean by the arm and swung him around. “What are you playing at?”

Dean shook him off. “Look you told me that to man up and I did. She wanted me, not you so get over it!” He snapped deciding that the first thing that will change when Jo and the baby are back in the bunker is either they move into his room or the room across from him, but Jo was done sharing a room and bed with Gabriel.

They wanted him to snap out of his attitude towards Jo and everything that entailed then they need to let him and Jo figure things out for themselves and stay out of their way. If Cas is right and Jo has fallen in love with him then he was willing to give her the time she needed to accept him into her and her daughter lives.

“So, what you’ve decided unilaterally to play Daddy to this baby? To play a lovable guy for Jo to fall for. What happens to them when Sam needs you to sacrifice yourself to save him and Jo’s left to pick up the pieces of her heart again!” Gabriel said in a low and dangerous voice.

He watched the way Dean didn’t contradict him and went on. “You were curious why things were so different in their dimension. It’s because that Dean’s whole self-worth wasn’t wrapped up in that Sam. When Sam left for college, he had Jo and they were already planning on getting married when she turned 18 and planning on setting up their home, on starting a family. He didn’t flounder when Sam left, he had carved out a real life for himself by then. He worried and sent him any extra cash he had but his attitude was that Sam needed to do what was right for him. Not like you and the self-loathing you had that you hadn’t good enough for Sam and that you deserved to be abandoned by him. Same with Daddy Dearest. So yeah It’s pretty obvious that you won’t think twice about walking away from them if your precious Sammy tells you he needs you to.”

Sam sucked in a deep breath. “Is that how you really felt when I left?”

Gabriel snorted at Sam. “And you’re supposedly the brains in the family. If your old man had told Dean to cut off his right arm and give it to you, he would have. You were Dean’s responsible. Four and half and he did everything for you even if it was at his expense. Just ask him how often he went to bed hungry as a kid because he gave you his share of the food.”

“Shut up! You don’t know a damn thing about me or my brother. That isn’t what this is about anyway. This is about you and that you’re in love with her.” Dean countered.

Gabriel stared at him. “Do you think I’m going to deny that I’m in love with her? Because I’m not. I do love her and I’m a Hell of a lot better for her and the baby than you.” He growled as he got into Dean’s face.

“Gabriel,” Castiel said as he reached out and grabbed his brother’s arm, dragging him away from Dean and their standoff.

“You cannot be in love with Joanna.” He hissed as he dragged him further down the hall.

The other angel stared at Castiel. “Oh, and why can’t I be in love with Jo?”

Castiel sighed as he shot a glance over at Dean and saw Sam trying to calm the older hunter down. “Because you don’t understand the concept the same way humans do.”

“Right because you’re the only angel who can love a human!” He fought back.

“I have stood with Dean and Sam. They are my brothers.” Cas told him.

“No, I’m your brother and you should stand beside me.” Gabriel said.

“You left us Gabriel. That was your choice.”

“Because I couldn’t stand what Dad was doing to our brothers and had to get away from it, I’m not incapable of loving Jo and this child.”

Castiel sighed sadly. “Maybe you are but it doesn’t change the fact that Joanna has already begun falling in love with Dean and that he has already fallen in love with her. They are always meant to be each other true love no matter what dimension they’re in.”

Gabriel snorted in disgust. “He’s the one not able to love them the way they deserve to be loved. He’s too far gone in his obsession with Sam to love anyone else unconditionally.”

“He wants to be the man they both deserve, does that not mean anything to you?”

“Of course, he’s the great Dean Winchester so whatever he wants, he should have.” Gabriel sneered.

“Did it occur to you that this is what we need to help stop our Father from destroying everything? Dean not only has fallen in love with this Joanna and feels connected to his doppelgänger’s daughter too, but he was even able to admit it not only to himself, but he spoke the words out loud. He confessed he was also in love with our Joanna as well.” Cas told him somberly.

Gabriel look over at his brother. “He spoke the words out loud?”

“Yes, he did. He also apologized for blaming me for Mary’s death and admitted he understood why I held back my suspension about Jack and that he has done the same in the past for Sam.”

The other angel had a look of pure shock on his face. “This Dean said that? He never admits to anything. He always assumes his ends justifies his means, but that attitude doesn’t apply to others.”

Castiel sighed. “I am sorry you are hurting but you cannot come between them. You are right that this Dean has always been obsessed with this Sam as is this Sam with this Dean but now if this Dean is not only allowing himself to fall in love with Joanna completely but he is also able to confess these feelings to me. Then this is something our Father never expected from his favorite version of Dean. To love not only one but two other people unconditionally besides his brother.”

Gabriel blew out the breath he held slowly as he nodded his head. “I’ll never understand how she managed to fall in love with him. He’s nothing like her Dean.”

“Because deep down we’re both broken but together we’re stronger.” Dean said as he came up behind them. “That Dean was just lucky enough to have met her early enough to embrace what she offered him. Unlike me that by the time I met our Jo my walls were already too high to let her in. Especially since I met her after my Dad had gone to Hell in exchange for my life. How could I trust Jo to love that man when I felt my Dad should have let me go, that I wasn’t worth the deal he made.”

“Can you truly love both of them unconditionally? Could you put them before Sam if they needed you to?” Gabriel asked.

“He won’t have to.” Sam said as he joined them. “Jo and this baby are family. I’ll leave before I’ll let Dean have to choose between us.”

Dean nodded his head. While the angels were speaking the brothers had a serious discussion and Dean told his brother point blank how he felt about Jo and the baby.

Something that had shocked Sam at first but when Dean said he was tired of being Chuck’s bitch and wanted the life and the woman he has been dreaming about for the past 13 years. He had thought it could never be anything more than a fantasy after their Jo had died but he was getting a second chance and he wanted it more than he could put into words.

Sam did the only thing he could think of when Dean had told him this. He pulled him in for a hug and said it was about damn time he decided to actually try and have a real life with a woman he actually love instead of play acting like he had with Lisa.

“Mr. Winchester,” the nurse from earlier walked up to them. “Your wife and daughter are in their room. I can bring you down if you’re ready.”

Dean looked around at the other men before looking back at the nurse and said, “yes, thank you.”

As he followed the nurse, he stopped and patted Gabriel’s shoulder. “I’ll let her know you’re out here and see if she’s up for you to come in.”

Gabriel nodded his head as Dean followed the nurse down the hall into a room.

Dean slowly made his way over to Jo’s bed and smiled at the woman and the tiny baby she was cuddling. “Hey.”

Jo grinned up at the man. “Hey yourself,” she said as she gently turned the baby towards him.

Smiling Dean sank down into the chair next to the bed. “She’s so tiny.” He whispered as he reached out and ran a finger tentatively over her small arm.

“Would you like to hold her?”

“Oh, ummm I don’t know. I mean I’ve never held a newborn.

Jo smiled reassuringly, “you’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” he said as he stood up and bent down a little as Jo lifted the baby up towards him.

“You need to support her head.” She told him as she gingerly transferred the infant into Dean’s arms.

He let out a shaky breath as he cradled the little girl close to his chest. “Hey baby girl, you gave us quite a scare.” He cooed to her as he rocked the bundle in his arms slightly, he looked back at Jo. “Have you picked a name?”

“Amelia for John’s mom Millie.” She told him softly. “We were going to tell him the day...the day he came over to put together the crib.”

Dean nodded his head in understanding. “Hi Amelia, there are some people who really want to meet you outside if your Mama is up to it.” He said in a sing song voice.

“I’m fine Dean and I know they want to see her.” She told him.

“Okay I’ll go get them in a minute.” He said as he went to give Amelia back to Jo. “Look I need to let you know that when the staff asked...I told them that I was your husband and Amelia father.”

“I know, the nurse made a point of saying how sweet she thought my husband was when you came in before they took me into the OR.”

“I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have done it.”

Jo chewed on her lower lip. “It’s fine. It’s a lot easier than trying to explain that I’m from another dimension.” She quipped.

“They also asked if I was going to stay the night with you both to help care for Amelia... I guess that fathers are allowed...but it’s your decision...whatever you want.” He asked tentatively.

“Would you like to...stay with us? She asked.

Reaching out he tenderly ran his finger along the baby’s cheek. “I would.” He told her honestly.

“Then I’d like it if you stay with us too.” She told him as she leaned down to kiss her daughter forehead.

Dean smiled and nodded his head. “Okay then I’m staying. I just need to leave for a while with Sammy to go to the store and get all the things we’ll need for when we bring Amelia home. Plus, you and Gabriel needs to talk.”

Jo looked up at the man next to her and sighed. “About?”

“Us and what is happening between us.” Dean told her.

“And what is happening between us?” She asked as she looked up shyly at the man next to her.

“Us falling in love with each other.” He murmured as he leaned forward and brushed a feather light kiss on her check.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she shook her head. “I’m not...”

“I know but when you are ready, I’ll be here.” He told her. Standing he backed away from the bed. “I’ll go get the others.”

Jo watched as Dean walked out of the room. She knew a part of her felt drawn to him and that bothered her because she felt like she was betraying her Dean. But was being drawn to him the same as falling in love with him? She wasn’t sure.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when the door and the four men walked into the room. She smiled as they gathered around her and the baby and held her up enough so they could see her better.

“Everyone I like you to meet Amelia Winchester.” She said as she pulled the blanket down a little more so they could see the baby’s face better.

Sammy grinned as he held out his pinky for the little girl to grab. “She’s beautiful Jo.”

“Do you want to hold her?” She asked the youngest Winchester.

“Ummm I think I’ll wait until she’s not so fragile.” He said blushing.

“Castiel, Gabriel...” she asked the unspoken question.

Gabriel stared at the infant before turning and shaking his head sadly. He couldn’t bring himself to hold the child.

Castiel gave the new mother a smile. “I would be honored to hold Amelia.” He said as he reached out and lifted the child into his arms and cradled her to his chest. They all watched as he began to whisper in Enochian.

“What are you saying to her?” Jo asked as she narrowed her eyes at the angel.

“He just swore to Amelia that he will protect her to his last breath.” Gabriel reassured her.

“Oh...thank you Castiel.” Jo said blushing at jumping at the wrong conclusion.

“Sammy you and I should head out now to pick up the stuff we talked about. We can swing by the bunker first and grab the pickup because everything isn’t going to fit in the Impala. Hey Cas, would you mind coming with and using your mojo to clean Baby for us?” Dean said, giving Jo and Gabriel the chance to speak privately.

“Oh Dean, I’m so sorry about that!” Jo cried remembering that she had gotten sick on her way to the hospital.

“It’s fine Jo.” Sam reassured her. “Cas can make it like new.”

Dean didn’t give the angel time to question them as he grabbed him by the arm and guided him out the door with his brother right behind them, calling a farewell to Jo. Dean shot a look over his shoulder at Gabriel and nodded his head in understanding. He actually found himself feeling sorry for the angel and the conversation he was about to have with Jo.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awww trouble is brewing but Sammy talks sense into his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all your wonderful feedback and Kudos! You guys are awesome! I hope you enjoy this chapter, Val.

Chapter 4

“Are you sure you don’t want to hold her since you’re the one who protected us so that she could be born.” She asked gently.

“I can’t Jo. I’m afraid if I did, I wouldn’t be able to let her go.” He confessed. He hated these feelings.

Jo sighed. “Gabriel, you know I love you.”

“I know. Just not the way I love you.”

Jo snuggled Amelia to her chest with one arm as she reached out to the angel with the other. “I’m sorry that I’m hurting you. That is the last thing I want.”

“You’re already falling in love with him.” He murmured.

“I...” Jo didn’t know how to explain her feelings. She barely understood them. “I’m not ready to be in love with him or any man. I’ve barely have had time to mourn my Dean. Not to mention my John and Sammy. Right now, Amelia is my life.”

Gabriel smiled sadly. “Just because you need time doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”

“I’ve told him I’m not ready.”

“Yet he is already becoming entrenched in Amelia’s wellbeing.”

“Isn’t it a good thing he wants to help care for her?”

Gabriel sat down. “It is.” He admitted as he looked down at his hands.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Jo asked as she let the tears fall, her heart breaking at hurting the angel in front of her.

“I’m sorry Jo. I don’t belong here.”

“That’s not true. You’re family Gabriel.”

“Darling, you’re the only one who feels that way. My own brother doesn’t even see me that way.”

“Well you’re mine and Amelia’s family. I don’t want you to leave.” She told him sincerely.

He gave her a small smile and decided she needed to know what him and Castiel had spoken about earlier. “As much as I hate to admit it, what’s happening between you and Dean may be part of how we take out the old man Jo.”

She stared at him in shock. “That’s not possible...why would our feelings matter?”

“Because for once this Dean and Sam both plan to put you and Amelia first instead of each other. This is the one version of their lives the old man never imagined. That’s why they were his favorites because they never let anyone else come first, it was always each other.”

“Why would Sam put us first?” She asked. This all seemed surreal to her.

Gabriel gave her a small smile. “He loves his brother and knows that you and the baby are his heart desire. That he didn’t take his chance to be in love with their Jo because of him. He’s watched his brother become a functioning alcoholic all these years and knows how things could have been different for Dean if he had gone back to her after Duluth and confessed, he was in love with her.”

“I’m not saying there isn’t a connection between us Gabriel, but you and Dean keep saying we’re falling in love, but I think you both are putting the cart before the horse. Dean’s seems more in love with the idea of what I offer him than with me. We barely know each other.”

He nodded his head. “You’re right but you will grow closer as you both care for Amelia together.” Sighing he stood up. “I need to go, Castiel is on his way back to stay with you until Dean comes back.”

“Don’t leave, I’ll speak to them and...” She urged.

“Jo, please I need to leave. You and Dean need to be able to follow where your hearts will eventually take you both and I can’t be a distraction and that’s what would happen.”

“Don’t I have a say in this or are you and this Dean making all the decisions for me now?” She said annoyingly.

“He’ll take care of you both. You know it’s what your Dean would want. You and Amelia being protected.”

“I know.” She whispered. Her husband had instructed her to listen to Gabriel. That he would give her the guidance she needed.

Gabriel grinned before he leaned down and cupped her cheek. “I love you Jo.” He murmured as he kissed her forehead before straightening and vanished before her eyes.

Jo sobbed as she cradled Amelia who had also begun to cry. “Shhh....Mama sorry she upset you.” She whispered as she placed butterfly kisses on the infant’s cheeks.

“Joanna, how can I help?” Castiel asked as he stood in the doorway.

Jo looked up at the other angel angrily. “He is the only one that actually knows me. Me! He doesn’t see me as ‘other dimension Jo’. He has been with me every step. He swore to my husband before he died to protect me and find me a safe haven to deliver our child. You and Dean forced him to leave me. Dean because he felt threatened by our relationship and you because you want to hold an old grudge against your brother.”

Castiel stared at the woman. “Joanna...”

“Don’t...just leave. Call Dean and tell him not to come back...I don’t want to see him now.” She told him as she reached for the call button to call for a nurse.

He ducked his head as he left the room listening to her crying softly as she murmured words of love to her child. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his phone and broke the news to Dean.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean ended the call with Cas as Sammy came over with and armful of onesies, baby clothes and booties in various shades of pink and purple.

“Ok I don’t care if you call me Samantha but I’m having fun buying this baby stuff.” He said with a grin as he put everything in the second wagon. They were going to have to split up to check out with everything they had in the wagons.

“Well I think we have everything. Let’s go pay and head back to the bunker to set up the nursery.” Dean said as he shoved his phone into his back pocket.

Sam looked at his brother and saw the look of hurt on his face. “Well you can help me bring everything in, but I’ll be fine to put the stuff together so that you can head back to the hospital.”

“I’m not going back. Let’s go.” Dean told him.

Sam reached out and grabbed his brother’s arm. “What happened?”

Dean sighed. “She’s pissed at me and Cas about Gabriel leaving.”

“Dean contact Cas and have him find Gabriel and then go to the hospital and apologize to Jo.”

“Not happening...she’ll get over this and then we can move on.” He said stubbornly.

“Dean try looking at this from her perspective. Up to three weeks ago she was happily married to her husband. They had an 18-year relationship. They actually grew up together. They shared their hopes and dreams. They experienced the joy of having a child and then they mourned the loss of that child together. I can only imagine how strong their bond was after that. Then three weeks ago everything changed for them and one by one she lost the last of her family. Then the angel her husband entrusted to save his wife and unborn child manages to get her here. You may not like it, but Gabriel is important to Jo. He saved her and she loves him. You took away the last person from her dimension that she loves Dean. How do you expect her to feel?”

“He’s in love with her. What? You just want me to stand by and watch him try to win her over.” He snapped in frustration. “She’s my destiny and I’m not about to share her with him.” He said as he began pushing the cart towards the front of the store.

Sam’s mouth dropped open in shock at his brother’s outburst. “Dean do you hear yourself.? You sound like a toddler who doesn’t want to share his favorite toy.” He said as he forced Dean to stop walking and pay attention to what he was saying. “You need to slow down dude or you’ll lose her before you have a real chance with her. She isn’t going to let you control her any more than our Jo would have let you.”

Dean took several deep breaths knowing that Sammy was right and that he was just being stubborn. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his phone and hit speed dial. “Cas, do me a favor and track Gabriel down...because Jo needs him here that’s why...yes I’m sure. I’m gonna have Sammy drop me at the hospital...when you find him you both head back to the bunker to help Sammy set up the nursery...yeah thanks.”

Sam smile at the other man. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I hope you’re right about this. Let’s haul ass so you can drop me off and I can grovel for forgiveness.”

“Hey...she’s worth it Dean. You just need to be patient.”

“Well we both know how great I am at being patient.”

“Dean, I know you said earlier that you told her that you knew she needed time, but you do understand it could be a while before she’s ready to move on. Not just a few months, she may need a year or longer.”

The older hunter looked at his brother in shock. “You really think that?”

“What did you think would happen. We would get her and the baby back in the bunker and after a month or so you two would just be together.”

Dean blushed because that was exactly what he thought. “Look Cas said she was already falling in love with me.”

“Subconsciously maybe but emotionally she isn’t ready to move on Dean.”

“Great what about Chuck then?”

“I have a feeling the fact that you are being so open to the possibilities awaiting a life with Jo is what matters....not you two falling into each other arms or into bed.” He told his brother knowing that having a physical relationship with Jo would be front and center in Dean’s mind.

Dean let Sam’s words wash over him as he looked down at everything in the wagons and nodded his head in understanding. “You’re right and I get what you’re saying, and I’ll keep that in mind. Come on let’s go. Oh, by the way Samantha did you get enough pink?”

“Told you, don’t care.” Sam chuckled as he followed Dean towards the checkout.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo sighed as she looked out her window. The nurse had taken Amelia back to the nursery so that she could rest before her next feeding.

They were surprised when Jo told them her husband wasn’t going to be back tonight to help take care of the baby. Jo was truly upset about that because it meant the baby would stay in the nursery since she couldn’t get up on her own to pick up and change her daughter’s diapers. She had been so happy originally when Dean was gonna stay with them so that Amelia would be in the room overnight.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the sounds of footsteps enter her room. Looking up she swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw Dean walking in.

“I don’t want you here.” She told him firmly.

“Can I at least come in and apologize?”

“Do you think an ‘I’m sorry’ is going to make everything better between us?”

He made his way over to stand beside her. “No but I’m hoping it’s a start. That and asking Cas to find Gabriel and ask him to come back to the bunker. We had no right to make him feel he wasn’t welcome.”

Jo took a deep breath as she played with the top of the hospital blanket. “That’s a start.”

Dean reached out and gently lifted her hand in his. “Can you be patient with me Jo? I know I’m probably making you feel like I’m pushing things between us and I’m sorry about that too. It’s just that I haven’t been truly hopeful about any part of my personal life since before my Dad died and the thought that we could make a life together is a miracle to me and I’m pretty anxious about it.” He explained seriously.

“Dean,” Jo sighed as she squeezed his hand. “How about we try being friends, get to know each other and move on when it really feels right for both of us.”

“I think I would like that.” He told her before asking hopefully. “Let me stay with you and Amelia tonight. Let me help take care of her instead of her being in the maternity ward nursery.”

Jo chewed on her lower lip. “I want to say yes...”

“Then say yes.” He begged. “Let me be a friend and help take care of Amelia. “

“Alright.” She agreed.

Dean smiled. He knew it was a small step but a small step in the right direction. The silence was broken by the sound of his cell phone. He grabbed the phone and quickly answered it when he saw Cas’s name and put him on speaker.

“Hey Cas, I’m with Jo and you’re on speaker. Did you find him?”

“I did, he is here with me. He would like to speak to Joanna.”

“I’m here Gabriel.” Jo said.

“Can you take me off speaker and give the phone to Jo.” Gabriel’s asked.

Dean pushed the speaker button on his phone as he handed it to Jo. “I’ll go and tell the nurses that I’m able to stay.” He said as he headed out of the room to give her some privacy.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean stood at her door and took a deep breath before entering. He kept reminding himself he had to give Jo the space she needed and to be supportive of her friendship with Gabriel.

He knocked lightly before opening the door. “Is it alright if I come back in?”

Jo nodded her head as she held his phone out for him. “He said he needed time.” She explained sadly.

“I’m sorry Jo. I didn’t mean to hurt your friendship with Gabriel.”

“He said I should keep my heart open.” She told him.

He could see the anxiety written on her face and sat down next to her bed. “Look let’s just focus on being friends like we said earlier. I’ll talk to Cas and tell him that we will make our own destiny in our on time and to tell Gabriel not to stay away because your friendship is just as important to you.”

“Thank you for saying that but if I was being honest, I knew it’s not you and me that Gabriel is distancing himself from. It’s me. We had known for months that he was drawn to me, but he respected Dean and our marriage but these last few weeks I’ve been so clingy. I think he felt that he and I...well you know. I gave him false hope.”

“Hey,” he said interrupting her. “All things considered I think you handled everything pretty amazingly and that includes dealing with me being a complete asshole to you.”

Jo opened her mouth to reply to Dean but stopped when the door opened, and the nurse came in pushing the portable crib her baby girl was currently sleeping in.

“Somebody wanted to see her Mommy and Daddy.” The nurse named Susan said with a smile.

Dean grinned down at the infant. “Hey sleepy head.” He said as he reached into the crib and gently lifted Amelia up and cuddled her to his chest. He chuckled when the little bundle in his arms yawned as she tried to open her eyes.

“Jo it’s time for a feeding. Do you want to try nursing her or do you want me to make a bottle?

Jo couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she watched the silly faces Dean was making at her daughter. “I would like to try nursing her again.”

“Now you be nice to your Mama.” He whispered as he brought her over to Jo.

He stood back not sure if he should leave the room but realized it might look strange to the nurse that a husband would leave to give his wife privacy to nurse their baby.

“How’s Mama’s girl?” Jo asked as she loosen her gown so that she could lower it as she guided Amelia to her breast. It took her a few minutes and just when she thought they would need a bottle after all when she felt her daughter nuzzle her breast and slowly latched onto her nipple.

She grinned when she felt the sensation of her daughter suckling. “There you go.” She murmured as she kissed the top of her head.

“Well I guess she figured it out.” Susan said with a soft chuckle as she updated the whiteboard with the time of this feeding. “I’m going to give you and your husband some bonding time and will be back in a bit.”

“Thank you,” Dean said as he watched Amelia. He looked up at Jo in wonderment and said. “I hope it’s okay for me to say this, but you are nursing her is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jo smiled. “It’s fine.”

Dean sat down and sighed contentedly and said. “Thank you for letting me be part of this.”

Jo looked up. “Wait until you change her diaper for the first time, and you see that meconium poop.”

“Meconium?” He asked.

“Oh, you’ll see.” She reassured him with a smirk.

“Why do I feel like I should be worried?”

Jo laughed at the look on Dean’s face as she slowly move Amelia to her other breast.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The small family bring the newest Winchester home. Oh and Sammy learns how to change a diaper.

Chapter 5 

“This is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen.” Dean said as he used another wipe to clean the baby’s diaper area completely. “And that includes everything I’ve ever hunted. For crying out loud why is it so sticky. I feel like I’m cleaning up a combination of tar and molasses.” 

“Still thankful?” She teased. 

Dean finished wiping the infant clean and slipped a new diaper under her bum but stared in shock. “No... no....no. Let me close it first.” He cried as Amelia gurgled and proceeded to poop and pee without a care in the world. He had a feeling he was in for a long night. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Jo turned her head when she heard a light knock on the door and saw Sam poke his head in. “Morning. Is it alright if I come in?” 

“Sure,” she said, yawning slightly. 

He came in and stopped suddenly when he saw his brother passed out and snoring loudly in a chair in the corner. His hand resting on the crib that the baby was lying in. 

“Is he okay?” He asked in a whisper. 

“He’s okay,” she reassured him. “Just a little sleep deprived. Amelia made him lots of presents last night.” 

“Presents?” He repeated questioningly. 

“Yup...the nurses are very impressed with our little Amelia. She had three bowel movement and the last one had practically no meconium in it. That and she peed a couple of times after each feeding too.” She explained proudly. 

“And Dean did all the diaper changes?” 

“He did. He also gave her a bottle too when I was too tired to nurse her.” 

Sam grinned at the mental image of his brother doing everything Jo was telling him. “Wow, I have to say I’m a little impressed that he did that.” 

Jo smiled. “He was pretty good about it. He only had one slight meltdown when she decided she hadn’t finished going during a change and started going freestyle.” 

“Noooo!” Sam laughed. 

The noise was enough for Dean sit up straight and look at the child next to him. “I got you Sweetpea,” he murmured as he went to pick her up. 

“Dean, that wasn’t Amelia. She’s still asleep. Sammy and I were just talking.” Jo told him. 

He scrubbed his hand along his face. “Oh. Hey Sammy.” He greeted his baby brother, his eyes finally focusing enough to see the other hunter standing by Jo’s bed. 

They all turned their attention to the door and Dr. Carter came in. “Good morning Jo.” 

“Morning Doctor.” She said as he reached down and picked up her chart. 

He smiled as he quickly read the notes. “I think it’s safe to say that you and Amelia are my star patients. I see your tests have come back with all positive results and your vitals have stabilized, especially your blood pressure. Says here Miss Amelia has passed all the meconium and is taken to the breast which is always a good thing since your milk produces the vitamins and enzymes she needs.” 

Dean puffed out his chest. “See I told you she’s a genius.” 

The doctor turned and gave the other man an indulging smile. “I see we have a very proud Daddy.” 

“Damn straight.” He told him firmly. 

Shaking his head in amusement he turned his attention back to Jo. “It’s up to you. But you both are doing amazingly well and if you think you would prefer to rest at home then we can discuss you both being release today.” 

Jo broke into a huge grin. “Really! I would definitely like to go home.” 

“Then I’ll leave instructions for you both to be prepared for release. How does that sound Dad?” The doctor asked as he turned his attention to the other man. 

Dean swallowed a few times as the realization that they would be completely responsible for the baby beside him. Was he really ready for this? 

He looked at a grinning Jo and then over to Amelia and as corny as it sounded his heart swelled with love for the little peanut in the crib and he found himself smiling and nodding his head. Oh yeah, he was ready for this. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Sam gently guided Jo down the bunker corridor as Dean walked behind them carrying Amelia. “I hope you like what Cas and I did with your room and the nursery.” 

“I’m sure I’ll love it.” She reassured him. 

“Well if you want a theme, we can do that too.” Sam offered. 

Sam stop in front of the room across from Dean opened the door. “I moved your stuff to this room. That way if you need me or Dean we’re right here.” He explained as she went inside, a small gasp escaped from her lips. 

Dean followed Jo and Sam in and understood her reaction. Cas has gone all out with the angel mojo. He created a true master bedroom, including if he was seeing correctly an actual on suite bathroom. 

He spied the cradle by the bed and gently laid Amelia down and kissed her on the forehead before looking back at Jo and Sam with a grin. “Cas out did himself.” 

“We wanted to make it feel like a real home Jo.” Sam said as he led Jo towards the bath. “Still not sure how angels know enough to install a bathroom, but I tested everything, and everything works. Oh, and that door leads into the nursery. We figured it would make things easier for you once she graduates to sleeping in her crib.” 

Jo just looked around and swallowed several times. What they had done was beyond anything she could have dreamed. They were trying to so hard to make her and Amelia feel like family. She sucked in a deep breath when she saw Dean lay her daughter down and giving her a kiss on her forehead that she broke. It should be her husband bringing their daughter home, kissing her forehead. 

“Please...I need you to both leave...I can’t.” She cried. 

Sam looked crushed at her reaction, but Dean just jerked his head towards the door. They were silent as they made their way to the kitchen. 

“We thought she would like it.” 

“I’m sure she does. I think everything is hitting her. I don’t think she really had a chance to process that Amelia will never meet her father, her grandfather or uncle.” 

“Crap, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.” Sammy said as he sat down at the kitchen table. 

“Let’s just leave her alone for a while.” Dean said as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “Hey, guess what Jo told me. She said that Gabriel had feelings for her before they came through the rift and that her and her Dean were actually aware of his feelings for her.” 

“That’s interesting.” Sam said as he thought about that piece of information. “Doesn’t really sound like Gabriel. You know he never said how he met them or why was he hanging around them in the first place?” 

Dean took a heathy sip of coffee as he shrugged his shoulder. “Not sure but I think it might be something we ask him about next time he’s here.” Dean looked around as something finally occurred to him. “Hey where’s Cas?” 

“He took off after he finished the makeover. Don’t think he’s ready to be around Jo and Amelia just yet. 

Dean looked up when Sam reached across and snagged the cup. “Why don’t you hit the hay and get a few hours.” Sam suggested. 

Dean snorted in agreement. “I’m more tired than I care to admit. She weighs only 6 pounds and 3 ounces, but you wouldn’t believe how much poop and pee she put out. The poop was the worse. Seriously Sammy it was disgusting...like molasses. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to clean up. Then the little peanut actually started to go again before I got a diaper on her.” 

Sam smiled at his brother, “and you loved every minute.” 

Dean grinned, “yup.” 

“Go get some sleep.” Sam said as he smirked at the look on his brother’s face. 

“I’m going.” He huffed as he stood up and slapped his brother on the back as he walked by. 

Dean stopped outside of Jo and heard her trying to stiffly her sobs so that she didn’t wake up the baby. He ached to go to her and comfort her but knew she needed to go through this in her own way. 

He went into his room across from her, leaving the door open in case she needed him. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Dean woke up after a three hours power nap and grabbed some clean clothes and went towards the bathroom to take a hot shower. 

Thirty minutes later he joined Sam in the war room. “Has she come out?” 

His brother shook his head. “No and I’m starting to get worried about her.” 

“I heard her walking around when I came out to take a shower.” 

Sam nodded his head. “Maybe you should try talking to her. 

“Actually, I think you should talk to her.” Dean said as he held up his hand to halt Sam’s response. “Look we agreed to work on being friends because we need to actually get to know each other. Well that would go for you too and I think she needs a friend that she hasn’t been told by two angels is her destiny right now.” 

Sam weighed what his brother was saying and knew he had a point. Maybe it would be easier to talk to him than Dean about what she is going through. 

“Maybe you can bring her a cup of tea while I’ll make lunch.” Dean suggested. 

“I can do that.” Sam agreed as he went to make the tea. He smiled when he turned back after making the tea to see Dean had put some shortbread cookies on a plate that he was holding out towards him. “Thanks.” 

Sam stood outside of Jo’s door for a second before knocking softly. “Jo?” 

He listened as he heard footsteps making their way to the door before it slowly swung open. He gave her a tentative smile as he took in the tear tracks on her cheek. “I brought you a cup of tea and some cookies to hold you over while Dean makes lunch.” 

“Thank you.” She said as chewed on her lower lip staring at the man in front of her before opening the door wide enough for him to join her. 

“Here, I’ll put this down on the desk.” He said as he walked across the room as Jo followed behind. 

“I... I’m sorry about earlier.” Jo murmured as she lifted the cup and took a sip. 

“No need to apologize.” He told her. He turned when he heard the baby gurgle. 

Jo watched the smile on Sam’s face as he peered at her daughter. “I just finished nursing and changed her diaper. She should be pretty mellow; would you like to try and hold her?” 

“Ummm, I’ve never held a baby before.” He confessed. 

“She won’t break.” She said as lifted the infant into her arms. 

Sam accepted the tiny bundle into his arms and winced when she began crying. “What am I doing wrong?” 

“She can sense you’re not comfortable. Try snuggling her close to your chest and make sure you support her head.” 

Sam did as Jo said and grinned when she stopped crying and gurgle happily. “Hey she stopped crying.” 

Jo gave him a sad smile. “My Sammy was terrified the first time he held Siobhan. He was funny about being rusty and that he would need lot of practice with the baby when she was born.” 

Sam looked as Jo wiped at her tears. “What was he like?” He asked. 

Jo shook her head. “You don’t want to hear about him?” She said as she looked down at the cup in her hands. 

“Jo, you can talk to us. We’re here for you. Your family is important, and Amelia should know all about her Daddy, Grandpa and Uncle Sammy.” 

Jo sat down at the desk as she took another sip of tea. “I forget their gone when I’m around you both. I’m a horrible person.... how could I forget my own husband?” She cried as she wiped at her tears. 

“Ummm...” Sam stammered not sure of what he was about to say to the grieving woman. “I don’t think you’re forgetting them. I think it’s how your mind is coping with losing them so quickly. Maybe if you talked about them with us it would help you cope.” 

“I’ve told you our histories.” Jo said. 

“Histories but not what they were like.” He said before smiling and started to tell a story about their Jo. “Like our Jo. Once when we were hanging at the Roadhouse her and Dean got into a contest on who could tell the raunchiest limericks. She told one so filthy that Dean choked on his beer he was laughing so hard while he turned beet red.” 

Jo’s eyes widen in shock before she started to giggle. “No! She didn’t!” 

“Oh yes she did.” Dean said with a grin on his face. Neither had noticed the other hunter standing in the doorway. Jo watched as a Dean strolled into the room. “So how are you with raunchy limericks?” 

“I don’t think I know any.” She confessed. 

Dean smiled at Jo. “I’m guessing you didn’t bartend at The Roadhouse since you got married so young. Our Jo was a hell of a bartender and knew more dirty jokes and limericks than anyone I knew which made her a favorite among a bunch of rough hunters looking for a stiff drink and a good laugh.” 

“No, not really and when I did help out everyone knew I was Dean’s wife and John’s daughter in law. I’m not sure who they were more afraid of. Dean, John or my Mom.” 

Dean and Sam exchange a look, and both said at the same time. “Ellen!” 

Jo laughed at that and agreed with both men. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with no matter what dimension she was in. 

“I came down to get you both. Lunch is almost ready.” He told them before adding when he saw Jo looking towards the baby in Sam’s arms. “I set up that bouncy baby chair that looks like a saucer for Amelia, so we have somewhere to put her down.” 

“Lunch sounds good.” Jo said as she looked at Sam. “Are you comfortable carrying her?” 

“Dean can carry her.” Sam said quickly, not sure he was ready to walk around with the tiny baby. 

“Wimp.” Dean teased as he reached out to take the baby before heading towards the door with Sam and Jo following. 

Jo fell into step next to him. “So, what was the winning limerick?” 

Dean waggle his eyebrows and gave her a naughty grin. “Remember you asked. ‘There once was a priest from Morocco. Whose motto was really quite macho. He said to be blunt. God decreed we eat c*not! Why else would it look like a taco?’” 

Jo slapped a hand over her mouth as she began to guffaw. She didn’t need a mirror to know her face was scarlet. 

Dean laughed. “Yup that was pretty much my reaction. Of course, the little minx thought it was funny to text me the next day and ask if I was ‘eating’ tacos since it’s Taco Tuesday.” 

Sammy snorted, “dude you almost crashed the Impala you were laughing so hard. That’s why I don’t let you read your text messages anymore while you’re driving.” 

Jo smiled as they made their way into the kitchen as she heard Dean whispering to her daughter that she’s too young to hear this. She blushed when her stomach rumbled when she smelled the meal Dean prepared. 

“Hope you like Italian. I threw together a lazy man lasagna in the Instant Pot. Just need to release the steam.” He said as he walked over to the table where he had already set up the baby chair so that they would be able to see Amelia and gently laid her down before strapping her in. 

Jo stared at Dean in shock. “Instant Pot,” she repeated. 

“Best birthday present I ever got him.” Sam said as he sniffed the air appreciably. 

“Yeah just admit it was a present for yourself.” Dean said as he slapped his brother on the back of the head. He went over, letting the steam out before he removed the lid and stirred the contents inside. 

“Hey, you like to cook!” The younger brother huffed as he rubbed his head. 

“And you like to eat.” Dean countered as he pulled out the inner pot and placed it on a trivet that was on the table by the plates, he had pulled out earlier. 

Jo sat next to her daughter and picked up her tiny hand and kiss it affectionately. She couldn’t seem to stop touching or placing soft kisses on her baby. 

Sam watch the way Jo reacted to him and Dean teasing each other about his cooking and thought he would try again to get her to share with them and the baby. “So did your husband like to cook?” 

Jo accepted the plate Dean held out to her and her mouth practically started watering at the aroma. “My Dean, he could barely make toast without settling off the fire alarm.” She joked as she picked up her folk and took a bite. She closed her eyes and savor the taste. 

Dean looked up at that and laughed. “He so had you snowed. He could cook. Who do you think did the cooking when we were growing up and our father left us alone?” 

“That’s ridiculous. Why would he have lied to me for 18 years about something as mundane as cooking?” 

“You’re kidding right. You said he started staying with you and Ellen when you got together. So, he got use to Ellen cooking and if she was anything like our Ellen, she was a great cook. I’m sure you know your way around the kitchen. I know if that were me, I wouldn’t offer up the fact I could cook...not then. I would sit back and let you and your Mom spoil me rotten.” 

Sammy nodded his head in agreement. “Dean can be a douche and that does sound like something he would do. Lie by omission.” 

“Well my Dean wasn’t like that!” Jo huffed. 

Dean cocked his eyebrow knowingly. “Are you sure about that? Really think about it before you answer.” 

Jo thought back and the morning sickness she had during her pregnancy and Dean taking care of her. She remembered him making soup, macaroni and cheese and a few other comfort foods for her. Now that she was thinking about it nothing, he had made her came out of a package, it was all homemade. 

“Son of a gun.” She mumbled with a blush on her cheeks. Reaching over she rocked the bouncy seat slightly. “Your Daddy was a sneaky bugger.” 

The men chuckled good naturally before Dean pointed to the plate in front of her. “You really should eat.” 

Jo wrinkled her nose at Dean as she narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” 

“If you behave and eat all your lunch, we have ice cream for dessert.” Dean teased. 

Rolling her eyes Jo tucked into her meal. She smiled as Dean and Sam told her about the first time, they met their Jo and Ellen and how Jo had decked Dean. 

That story morphed into a few hunting stories. When Sam told her about Duluth she sat back in shock. It was Dean telling her about their Jo finding him and pulling him out of the water, getting him back to her place and patching him up that she frowned. 

“Jo?” 

“I’m guess I didn’t realize how different I am compared to your Jo. She was a strong, independent woman.” 

“Hey?” Dean said as he placed his hand over hers. 

“I’m fine.” She said looking over at her daughter as she begun to fuss. Standing she undid the straps that secured the baby and lifted her into her arms before settling back down. 

Dean gave his brother a sideways glance as Jo undid her shirt and settled the baby to her breast to nurse her. Sammy was beet red and quickly got up from the table. 

“Ummm I need to do.... something.” He stammered as he practically ran from the room. 

“I think he’s a little embarrassed about staying in the room while you nurse.” 

“Oh, I didn’t even think about him not being comfortable with it.” 

“It’s fine.” 

Jo looked over at Dean and smiled at how he watched her daughter. Chewing on her lower lip she asked the older man the question that nagged at her. “Will you tell me about how she died... I mean I know it was while she saved your life, but I don’t know the details.” 

Dean sucked in a deep breath before slowly letting it out. “Are you sure you want to know the details?” 

“I do,” she told him. 

“Alright.” He said as he began telling her about Carthage. He didn’t try to stop his tears as he remembered his friends and told her about their last fight. 

“They were both the bravest hunters I’ve ever known.” He told her as he finished telling how Ellen stayed with her daughter to help her blow up that damn hardware store. 

“I’m nothing like her. She was a true warrior.” She murmured as she lifted Amelia and burp her. 

“Jo.” Dean said as reached over as she held the child up for him to take her so that she could right her shirt. 

“It’s true.” She said. “I never even really hunted; nothing like her.” 

Dean looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean? You said your Dean trained you on how to be a hunter.” 

Jo shrugged her shoulders. “We did train but when we started dating, we gradually stopped. Then when Bobby got out of the hospital and I graduated from high school I went to take care him so that Dean could go back out hunting with John. Plus, we got married pretty soon after that too.” 

“Why the rush to get married?” He asked as he rocked Amelia to settle her. 

Jo blushed. “We didn’t exactly adhere to the dating rules our parents set. I got pregnant a few weeks before my 18th birthday. We got married as fast as we could.” 

“Oh,” he said. “But you lost the baby.” 

“We did. We waited a little while and tried again but well you know what happened.” 

“Look I get that you and he were trying to set up your lives together and stuff, but I don’t get why you stopped training. Did you ever hunt?” 

“I handle a few salts and burns that were local if there weren’t any other hunters available.” She explained. “I sort of became the care giver. First it was Bobby, then we had Siobhan and she got sick. After she died, Bobby had another stroke before he passed and needed me. Then Mom every time she fought the cancer.” 

Dean nodded his head in understanding. “I guess that wouldn’t leave a lot of time for hunting.” 

Jo watched his expression carefully before saying. “I must be a disappointment compared to her.” 

“What?” 

“I’m not a hero. What good am I in this upcoming fight?” She asked looking down at her hands. 

Dean stood up and secured Amelia back in her chair before he knelt in front of Jo. He reached out and ran his hand along her cheek before gently urging her to look up at him. 

“You’re just as strong as she was. Taking care of the people you love at the most difficult times of their lives takes more strength than I can imagine. I’ve watched people I love die and that’s never easy, but it was the end. What you did for Bobby... Jo I’m not stupid I know the things you must have done for him physically. The love and strength that took. Do not dismiss your contributions because without you Dean, Sam and John wouldn’t have been able to do the job.” 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Sam said as he walked back in. He had come back and stood by the door listening to Jo talking and heard the defeat in her voice. He almost came in then but stopped when Dean started to reassure her of what she did and how important it was. Damn if he wasn’t proud of his brother, he had said everything she needed to hear. 

Dean looked up at his brother and nodded his head in agreement. “Jo we all have our parts to play and maybe yours wasn’t for lack of a better word, as exciting like ours but that doesn’t mean you’re not strong. Hell, you made it here and keep this little peanut safe. You’re an amazing woman.” 

“No, my family and Gabriel did everything.” She argued as she wiped at her tears. “Letting others die for you doesn’t take strength.” 

“Bullshit, if you were as weak as you want us to believe then you wouldn’t be here talking to us because a weak person would have laid down and let themselves die alongside them.” Dean argued. 

“Jo, Dean’s right. You came here not knowing what you would find. You deliver a healthy baby and you’re giving her a chance she would never have in your dimension. That takes courage.” 

“Maybe.” She said as she accepted the bandanna Dean held out to her to wipe her eyes. 

“Look,” Dean said. “Nothing saying you can’t start hunting now. If you want after you get the okay from the doctor, we can start training with you.” 

“I can’t do that.” She said as she blew her nose. 

“Umm feel free to keep it.” Dean said when Jo went to hand his bandanna back. 

Sammy frowned at his brother while mouthing ‘REALLY’ before turning his attention back towards Jo. “Why wouldn’t you be able to?” 

“Because of Amelia. It’s like my Dean explained to me before Gabriel got me out. Protecting the baby is my job now.” She said as she glanced over at her daughter. 

“Ok but he didn’t know you would meet us. You’re not alone Jo, we’re her to help. If you want to train, we can figure out how to fit it in.” Dean said as he cocked his head trying to decipher the hidden meanings behind her words because he felt there was more going on than she was saying and when he caught the look in Sam’s eyes, he knew it wasn’t his imagination. 

Jo seemed to weigh what Dean and Sammy were saying to her as she looked at her hands. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be right for me.” 

“Hey Jo, we’re not trying to force you. We just want you to know we can train with you if that’s what you want.” Sam reassured her gently. 

They both watched as she seemed to shut down on them again. “I’m sorry I’m really tired. I think I’m going to head back to my room.” 

Dean and Sam exchanged a quick look before Dean stood when he saw her go to pick up the baby. “I’ll watch her. You go get some shuteye.” 

“Umm.” She said as she looked down at the infant. 

“I got her. Go lay down. If she needs, you I’ll bring her to you.” He promised. 

She nodded her head and leaned down to kiss Amelia’s cheek. “Thank you.” She said as she made her way out of the kitchen. 

Dean slowly made his way over to the door and watched her walk back towards the bedrooms. Turning he looked at his brother. “They broke her spirit,” he hissed. 

“Dean...” 

“Don’t, the more I hear about her life the angrier I get. I’m telling you they broke her. I guarantee you that the reason Ellen gave them permission to date was because he agreed to stop training with her.” 

“We don’t know that.” Sam argued even though he had a sinking feeling that was the case. 

“I know I’m right. Plus, who would send a 17-year-old girl straight out of high school to be a nurse maid to a man old enough to be her father. Sammy he was incapacitated...that means she bathed him, help him go the bathroom. That’s what they did to her. Told her it was her job to take care of Bobby so Dean could hunt.” 

Sam blushed as he imagined what she did while taking care of Bobby. “Okay I have to admit that is a bit weird.” 

Dean sighed. “Sam, they had to get married. He got her pregnant before she was even 18.” 

“Come on Dean, accidents happen. Condoms break...you get caught up in the moment.” Sam argued. 

“I guess but then why rush and try to get pregnant again after she had the miscarriage?” 

They wanted a family.” Sam said with a shrug of his shoulders. 

“Or he wanted her to be tied down with taking care of a baby on top of taking care of Bobby and keep her away from hunting.” 

“Dude you’re making a lot of assumptions there.” 

“Okay how about some comparisons then. Controlling, you and I both know that’s how I roll so I can guarantee he was too. Obsessed, well Gabriel was right for me it was focused on you...him it was all about Jo. Ellen playing her cards close to her vest...keeping information from Jo...doing whatever she could to discourage her from hunting. I don’t care what dimension we’re talking about she would do whatever she could to keep Jo away from hunting including letting Jo go out with version of me that was too old for her if I agreed to stop training her. Help convince her that the best way she could contribute was to be the group caregiver and hey maybe pop out a few baby hunters while we’re at it. I’m sure they encourage her to help research and man the phones but physical hunting...nope not for you little girl. Let’s not forget his final marching orders and what her ‘job’ is now.” 

Sam hated that what his brother was saying was most likely true, but he didn’t think it was a scab they should pick at. “Ok even if everything you think is true you can’t say anything to her. Maybe their relationship was complicated but Dean she loved him...still loves him. Besides maybe this will work in your favor. Encourage her to pick her path...what she truly wants and support her. Give her a true partner to really fall in love with.” 

“She has a right to know...” 

“Dean trust me she knows...deep down inside she knows that it wasn’t all kosher, but she loved her husband and her family, and we have to respect that.” 

“I guess.” Dean said not truly convince. He opened his mouth to argue his point further but stopped as he saw Sam sniffing the air. 

“Do you smell that?” Sam asked. 

Dean smirked as he nodded his head as he looked towards the baby. “Guess you’re getting your first diaper change lesson.” 

Sam looked at his brother horrified. “That smell is coming from her?!” 

“Yup,” Dean laughed as he picked up the diaper bag in the corner. He put the bag on the table and pulled out the changing mat and placed it on the table. “Sammy you need to pick her up so you can change her.” 

Sam recoiled slightly at the thought of changing the baby’s diaper but knew he was going to have to help take care of Amelia. Standing tall and straighten his shoulders at the impending chore he reached over and lifted the squirming baby. 

He gently laid her on the mat as Dean pulled out a fresh diaper, wipes and talcum powder. He looked down at the baby and examining the snaps on her onesie that started at her neck, down her belly, along her diaper area down one leg. He mentally groaned to himself when he saw a little of her mess must hand leaked out. 

Quickly he undid the snaps and pulled her little arms and legs out as he freed her from the outfit and she was laying in just her soil diaper and said, “I hope there’s another onesie in there because that one can’t go back on.” 

“There is, don’t worry. Now you have to undue the tabs.” Dean said. 

“I know.” Sam said as he peeled back both tabs and lower the front of the diaper and began to cough and gag. “Oh man that is disgusting.” 

Dean snickered at his brother. “Ok gather her ankles in your hand and lifted gently.” 

Sam did as his brother said. “Ummm now what?” 

Dean opened the wipe container and pulled out one, handing it to the other hunter. “You need to make sure you wipe her really good and get everything.” 

Sammy got to work, having to stop a few times to turn his head and take a few gulps of air. Finally, after several wipes her little bottom was clean, and Dean took pity on him and pulled the dirty diaper and used wipes out from beneath the baby raised bum and rolled it up and placed it in the trash. 

“Put a fresh diaper under her.” Dean instructed. “Now sprinkle a little powder and pull the diaper up between her leg and secure the tabs.” 

“I did it!” Sammy exclaimed. 

“Sure did.” Dean agreed as he reached into the bag and pulled out a new onesie. “You want to dress her, or you want me to do it?” 

Sam held out his hand to accept the tiny outfit. “I’ll do it.” He said and quickly got Amelia dress and lifted her in his arms. He smiled as he snuggled the baby close and kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his nose along the crown of her head. 

Dean smiled at his brother. “It’s that new baby smell. Just draws you in.” 

Sam smile and nodded his head. “Dean fight your natural instinct to talk to Jo about her family...her husband. You’ll just hurt her.” 

Sighing he held his arms out and Sam handed Amelia over to him. “Fine but I’m not going to coddle her. They did enough of that for 18 years. She deserves to be treated like an equal.” 

“I agree but keep in mind that she may not want to actively hunt. She might want something completely different.” Sam agreed. 

Dean nodded his head before he kissed the baby in his arms. “So, Amelia it is high time we start a very important part of your education.” He said as he started out of the room and down the hall with Sammy hot on his heels to see what his brother was up to. 

Soon they were in the ‘Dean Cave’ and settled in front of the large screen tv. He smiled when the oldest Winchester pulled up ‘Scobey Doo’ from his Boomerang account. 

“Now Amelia I’m going to teach you two very important words that I swear if you say them and perfect the art of ‘puppy dog eyes’ it will help you avoid being punished because you will be too adorable to punish.” He explained as he snuggled the baby. 

“Really...teaching her how to get out of punishments. Dean she’s barely 28 hours old.” He said with a chuckle. 

“Hey how many times did you get off with a lecture instead of a spanking thanks to this little life lesson growing up?” He asked. 

He smirked as he remembered Dean and him each pulling out what Dean always called the big guns and it still amazed him his Dad fell for it but the second they did it the harden hunter’s lip would begin to curve into a small smile and he would end up lecturing them and tacking on extra training instead of getting spanked. “Teach away.” 

“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. You give the biggest puppy dog eyes...yes just like that and say in a cute voice the following two words...now repeat after me...run rah.” 

Sam burst out laughing when the tiniest Winchester yawned adorably before giving his brother a tiny sneeze. He would swear on everything he owed his brother’s heart completely melted in front of his eyes. 

“Oh Hell...that is the cutest little thing. You could take Baby out for a joy ride and if you pulled that little face and sneeze, I would totally let you off the hook.” He said with a chuckle. 

Sam listened while Dean ‘taught’ Amelia about the genius of Scooby Doo and relaxed. It dawned on him halfway through the episode that he felt true hope that they were going to beat Chuck. 

He looked over at his brother’s recliner and smiled as he saw Amelia was asleep on Dean’s chest and his brother lovingly rubbing the infant’s back with a look of pure joy on his face. 

Before Dean could stop him, he pulled out his cellphone and snapped a couple of pictures. Snickering he sent the photos to Jody and Donna. 

Dean shot his brother a dirty look when he heard the pings of incoming text messages. “Who did you send it too?” 

“Just our favorite female sheriffs.” He teased before turning the phone around so Dean could see it. “The consensus is ‘AWWWWWW!’ I guess it’s true women do love a man cooing over a baby.” 

“Or it’s my ruggedly good looks.” He taunted. He sighed when he heard a couple of more pings. “Everything okay with them?” 

Sam smile as he read the messages. “They’re fine. Want to know when they can come and meet the baby. Jody says she can’t wait to see you walking around with Amelia in a BABYBJÖRN.” 

“Ain’t happening.” Dean huffed, blushing slightly when he saw the way Sammy was looking at him. “Okay fine I can’t. I already checked and she doesn’t meet the minimum weight, she’s too tiny.” Amelia began to fuss, and Dean could tell she had wet her diaper. 

Cradling her to make sure she was secure against him he slowly got up. Reaching down he grabbed the diaper bag he had brought in with him. Sam watched as Dean quickly change the baby. 

When he was done, and she had a fresh diaper on he pretended to sniff the baby’s feet and teasingly said “phew.... stinky” before slipping the onesie back on. 

Grinning he looked over at Sam. “You used to giggle like crazy when I did that to you when I changed you.” 

Sam swallow the lump in his throat. Dean didn’t talk much about that time in their lives. He had a vision of his brother at five years old changing his diaper and playing with him. 

His heart aches as it always did when he thought about how much Dean had given up for him as kids and it made him love his brother even more if possible. 

He got up as Dean lifted the baby back into his arms. Sam reached down to grab the soil diaper for his brother and quickly leaned forward and kissed Dean’s cheek before rushing out of the room while calling over his shoulder to his stunned brother that he was going to do some reading. 

Dean shook his head as he looked down as Amelia squirm in his arms. “You’re turning us into a bunch of softies Squirt.” 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know that last part was OOC where Sammy kissed Dean's cheek but couldn't resist it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Jo take a few baby steps towards their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, thank you everyone so much for the feedback and Kudos!!! I hope people like this next part. Enjoy!! Val

Chapter 6 

Jo stretched as she got up. Looking at her clock she realized she slept a little over four hours. Dean must have given the baby a bottle instead of waking her to nurse. She had to admit he was amazing about being hands on with the baby. 

Jo made her way into the bathroom and decided to take a nice hot shower before joining the others. She went back into her room and grabbed some clothes. 

Looking around the room she found the bag from the hospital with the sanitary napkins she needed. She should have enough until tomorrow, but she would need to ask either Sam or Dean to make a store run for her. 

Grabbing everything she needed she went and took a nice long shower. When she finished drying off and putting her clothes on, she felt better. Throwing her hair up in a messy bun she made her way towards the library. 

“Hey how are you feeling?” Sam asked as he looked up from the book he was reading. 

“Better.” She said as she looked around the room. “Where’s Amelia?” 

Sammy laugh. “Dean wanted to begin a very important part of her education...they’re in the den watching Scobey Doo.” 

“Den?” 

“Den... man cave...the Dean cave and sometimes he likes to refer to it as The Fortress of Solitude.” 

Jo rolled her eyes and laughed. “I guess he’s in touch with his inner child.” 

“That’s an understatement.” He agreed with a chuckle. “We were thinking submarine sandwiches for dinner if that’s okay with you. I was going to head out in a few minutes pick them up if you know what you would like.” 

“I would love a turkey with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles.” 

“Got it.” Sam said as he jotted it down. 

“Sam, I hate to ask but would you mind stopping at the store to pick something up for me?” 

“Sure, what do you need?” 

Jo blushed. “I need sanitary napkins.” 

“Oh...ummm...Dean pick up a few packages while we went shopping yesterday. They’re in the tall cabinet in your bathroom.” He explained. 

“He did?” She asked shocked. 

“Yeah he did.” 

“Wow, I’m surprised he thought of them.” She admitted. 

Sam laughed. “I know it’s was pretty weird for me too. I guess he paid more attention when Lisa’s sister had her baby than he led me to believe.” 

“Lisa?” 

Sam stopped tidying up his notes when he heard the way Jo said the other woman’s name. 

“Who’s Lisa?” She asked. 

Sam stared at the woman in front of him. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. 

They both turned towards the doorway when they heard Dean come into the room with the baby. “Look who’s here Amelia.” 

Jo stared at the oldest Winchester and asked in voice barely above a whisper. “Who’s Lisa?” 

Dean shot a look at his brother who blushed and mouthed ‘sorry’ before standing up. “I’m going to head out to get dinner.” He said as practically ran out of the room. 

Jo walked over and held her arms out and Dean gently passed Amelia to her. Sighing he pointed towards the two leather chairs. 

“Let’s sit.” He said softly. 

Jo nodded her head and followed him to the chairs. 

“Lisa is an old girlfriend that I lived with for a year after Sam went into the cage.” He told her. “I lived with her and her son Ben. I retired from hunting and tried to live an apple pie life. It was the last thing Sam asked of me. To get out and have a normal family.” 

“I see.” Jo said as she focused her attention on Amelia. 

Dean watched her closely and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw the pain on her face and decided he needed to be completely up front with the woman across from him. 

Clearing his throat, he continued. “Look I know you said you didn’t want to hear about other women, but I think I need to tell you some of my history.” 

“You don’t need to...it’s none of my business.” She argued. 

“Well...if there is ever going to be an ‘us’ then it does matter, and you should know about my past besides my time living with the Braedens’.” 

Jo’s head shot up. “Braeden?” 

Dean looked at her in confusion. “Lisa and Ben last name.” 

“I don’t want to discuss this!” She told him firmly. 

“Okay we don’t have to do this today.” He told her gently, sensing that he was losing her again and she was shutting down on him once more. 

Jo lower her face to her daughter and cuddle her close whispering words of love. “Did she like Scooby Doo?” She asked. 

Dean smiled as he decided to let her dictate the direction of the conversation. “She did. Oh, and guess who changed his first poopie diaper,” he teased with a twinkle in his eyes. 

Jo returned Dean’s smile, but he could tell it was forced. Why did it feel like she knew Lisa’s last name? Did she have a run in with her in their dimension? Maybe Dean told her about their fling since it was before they met, and she said her husband had told her about his past relationships. 

“So, we picked up a baby bathtub yesterday. Maybe after dinner I could help you give her a bath? Or I could set it up for you if you prefer to do it yourself?” He offered. 

Shrugging her shoulders, she told him he could give Amelia a bath if he liked. 

Dean watched Jo carefully and decided to do something he had never done before with a woman. He was going to lay all his cards on the table. 

“Jo please look at me.” He urged, giving her a tentative smile when she did. “I get you’re not ready to talk about something’s yet and that’s fine, but I need you not to shut me out.” He pleaded. “And when you’re ready I need to tell you those things. I want you to know everything.” 

Jo stared at him as she chewed on her lower lip. She had to admit to herself that even though they got off on the wrong foot when she first came through the dimensional rift, he had never lied to her. 

She wasn’t being fair pushing him away. She knew that. He’s been up front with her...both him and Sam had. The same way they both tried to encourage her earlier about training. 

“I know and I’ll try. I’m just not ready now Dean, it’s too much too soon.” She said as she looked up and gave him a small but genuine smile before adding. “I would like it if we both gave Amelia a bath together before bed.” 

He took that it for what it was, a small victory. He reached into his pocket when he felt his phone vibrate. Pulling it out he smiled when he saw Jody had forwarded the text from Sam with the message ‘just in case he forgot to send it to you’. 

It dawned on him that this is the first picture they have of Amelia and he decided that was about to change as he lifted his phone to snap a picture of Jo and the baby. 

He froze when he saw she was nursing the baby. Instead of snapping a photo he hit record and started to tape the moment. 

Jo looked over and shook her head. “Do not send that to Sam.” She said with a chuckle as she watched Dean move out of the chair to kneel in front of them. 

“Strictly for me Sweetheart.” He murmured and it was. He couldn’t put it in words, but he loved watching her nursing Amelia and one thought constantly went through his head...he wanted them to have more children. 

Jo raised her eyes to his and her breath caught at the look of pure joy on his face and it made her heart race with the knowledge it was her and Amelia that made him feel that. 

God when was the last time her Dean had looked at her like that she thought and then shook her head wondering where that thought came from. 

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo and Dean's relationship blossom while caring for Amelia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos!! I really appreciate them!! I hope you like this next part.

Chapter 7 

Sam gently rubbed the nipple of the baby bottle along Ami’s lips. Jo had started to pump the second day after they got back to the bunker so that him and Dean could help with her feeding. Well Dean actually fed her; she still didn’t take the bottle from him as easily as she did when Dean had her. 

“Come on Ami...Baby Girl you’re making me look bad.” He murmured softly. 

“Don’t blame her...you don’t need any help looking bad.” Dean teased. 

“Well some of us aren’t sleeping in Jo’s room and getting to do her nighttime feedings.” Sam argued. 

Dean smirked at his brother. Yup he was sleeping in Jo’s room, in Jo’s bed. Granted they weren’t doing anything more than cuddling and kissing but they were sharing a bed and he took it as a win. 

It started during the third night after they brought Amelia home. He had been running back and forth between his room and Jo’s when he would hear the baby crying. It was on the third night and his fourth visit that she mumbled to just get his butt in the bed and get some sleep. 

For a little over a week they would go to their separate rooms at night but after the first time he would go in to check on Ami she would tell him it was silly to run back and forth and to get into bed. 

Then one night after he had given Amelia her bath and he laid her down, when he turned to leave, he saw his pajama bottoms at the foot of the bed. He looked over at Jo who just smiled and said they were being silly; they both knew he would end up sleeping in there with them. 

Gradually his clothes found their way to the dresser drawers and closet. His toothbrush and toiletries were taking up space in the bathroom next to hers and he remembered looking in awe at the pictures Jo had brought over from his room to find a new home in their room. 

The words were never actually spoken but the room was now their bedroom. He really hadn’t been sure until they had taken Amelia for her 6-week checkup and she was cleared to go into her crib in the nursey. 

They had put her down for the night and left the door between the rooms open. 

_Jo had smiled and sat at the foot of the bed. “So, are you turning in?” She asked_

_“Sammy thinks he’s found a case for us.” He explained._

_“Okay while I think I’m going to take a bath since the doctor gave me a clean bill of health.” She said as she looked sideways at the bed before adding shyly. “I’ll probably still be up so you don’t have to try and be quiet when you come to bed.”_

_He had smiled and nodded his head. “I don’t think we’ll be very long.” And just like that it became official._

“So, guess who slept four hours straight?” Dean asked as he sat down. 

“Aren’t you a big girl letting Mama and Dean get some quality sleep.” Sammy cooed and smiled when Amelia finally latched onto the nipple and began drinking from the bottle. 

Dean grinned. “Yup when we woke this morning and realized that she had slept straight through after her 2:00AM feeding we got a little excited and kinda made out like teenagers.” 

Sam looked over at his brother and the wisecrack that was on the tip of his tongue died when he saw the silly grin on his brother’s face. “I’m happy for you two.” 

“We’re still taking it slow and we still need to have _the talk_ but part of me thinks she’s more open to the possibility of us.” 

“Good.” Sammy said as pull the bottle back to see how many ounces she had taken. “Four ounces Ms. Ami,” he said as he put the bottle down and moved to burp her. 

“You know that case we talked about. I’m not sure about leaving Jo and Ami alone.” 

Sam looked over at Dean. They had finally started looking for a job recently and he knew Dean was dragging his feet, but it needed to end. “Dude it’s been over three months. We already passed on four cases to other hunters. We need to get back on the job.” 

“I know but I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave them here alone.” He argued. 

Sam could understand where his brother was coming from and decided to suggest what had been going through his head since he started looking for a case. 

“What about Jody? She’s on the way and she’s itching to get her hands on Amelia and has asked me at least a dozen times when she gonna meet Jo.” 

Dean looked at his brother and sighed knowing he was right that they needed to get back out there. “We need to ask Jo.” 

“Ask Jo what?” The woman in question asked as she put a shopping bag down and unzip her coat. 

Over the last month Jo had started going out on her own after Dean’s offered for her to choose a car from the garage to drive. 

It was nice having that freedom and today she had taken Dean up on the offer for a Mama Pampering Day and accepting one of the credit cards Dean explained a friend of theirs had set up for them. She ended up going for a mani-pedi after she had done a little shopping to pick up some clothes since she lost most of the baby weight and everything she owned was too big. 

Then when she was leaving the nail salon, she saw the hairdresser across the street and decided it was time for a change. 

Dean looked up at Jo as she pulled off her gloves and hat. His mouth dropped opened when she removed her hat and he saw that instead of her usual long blonde locks she now was spotting a blonde pixie with purple highlights. 

Sam frowned at the look on his brother’s face and turned his attention to where he was looking and saw Jo’s new hairstyle. 

“Wow Jo. You look amazing! That cut really suits you.” Sam told her as he shifted the baby in his arms. “Doesn’t its Dean.” He urged his brother to say something nice. 

Dean swallowed as he nodded his head quickly. It did look good on her. Actually, he thought it looked sexy as Hell on her but wasn’t sure how to say it without it coming out either weird or pervy. 

Jo lifted her hand tentatively to her hair. “Do you really like it? I had no intention of getting highlights, but the girl talked me into them.” 

Dean reached out and tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful,” he said as he finally found his voice before leaning forward and kissed her cheek. 

Jo blushed but gave Dean a happy smile. “Ask me what?” She repeated, trying to ignore the way her heart was beating fast as Dean watched her. 

Sam quickly explained about the hunt and about her staying with Jody while they’re gone. 

The brothers had thought she would argue that she was more than capable to stay alone. Instead she surprised them by grinning and saying she would love to meet the infamous Jody and thought it would be good for Ami to get out of the bunker and spend some time in a regular house. 

“Alright then.” Sam said. “I’ll call Jody and make sure she okay with this.” He said as he handed Amelia to Dean. 

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to say yes so fast.” Dean admitted. 

“Don’t be angry. This place is amazing and I’m grateful to be here, but I miss windows.” She told him. 

Dean smiled and nodded his head in understanding. “No, I get it. The bunker takes some getting used to.” 

“Just a little.” She teased him as Sam came back into the room. 

“Well it was a unilateral chorus of yes as Claire and Alex are both homes.” He said laughing. 

“I guess I need to start packing.” Jo said as she grabbed the bag off the table. “Oh Dean, I picked up a couple packages of boxers for you since they were on sale.” 

“Thanks.” He said as he bounced Amelia. 

Sam smile as he watch Jo kiss the top of her daughter’s head before turning and brushing a kiss on Dean’s cheek. 

“So that went well.” Sam said. 

“Hey Sammy, do you miss windows?” His brother asked. 

Sam looked around the room and figured why Jo was so eager to say yes. “I guess the bunker doesn’t scream happy carefree childhood home, huh.” 

“Kids should have windows so that they can see the sun when they wake up and the moon before they fall asleep. They should be able to run around barefoot on the grass in their backyard.” Dean said as he cuddled Amelia closer. 

Putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder he looked him somberly in the eyes. “We are going to win this battle Dean and then this little peanut is going to have that home.” 

“Damn straight we are and damn straight she will have that home.” He agreed as he decided to head down to start packing his gear for their first hunt since Jo and Amelia came into their lives. 

“Dean,” Sam called out. “Don’t forget to pack your new underwear.” 

Dean stopped and shot his snickering brother a dirty look. “Shut it Samantha!” 

“Jerk!” Sam shouted at his retreating back and laughed when he heard his brother call “Bitch” over his shoulder. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Dean sat in the rocker in the nursery and rocked Amelia as she took her bottle. “Now young lady I expect you to be on your best behavior and charm Jody while you’re staying with her. You’re also going to meet Claire and Alex too and those girls are important to me. Don’t worry, you’re my number one girl but we need to keep that between us, okay.” 

He gently pulled the bottle from the child’s mouth and put it on the table next to him as lifted Amelia to burp her. He grinned when she gave him two hardy burps. “I also expect you to take care of your Mama and make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.” 

“So, are you putting Ami in charge?” Jo asked as she leaned against the door jam. 

Dean nodded his head. “Well she is the most responsible of all of us.” He teased with a smirk as he stood up and crossed the room to stand in front of Jo. 

Jo reached up and trailed a finger along her daughter’s cheek. “Why don’t you put her to bed while I take a bath.” 

He smiled knowing she was giving him some special time with Amelia. He was gonna miss the little bundle in his arms something fierce. “Okay.” 

Jo returned his smile before turning back into their room and heading into the bathroom. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Dean was already in bed when Jo came out of the bathroom. She was wearing his Metallic tee shirt and a pair of pajama shorts. 

Jo stopped and stared at Dean. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted to have the discussion she had been dodging. 

Sitting up he took a deep breath. “Jo, I can’t go on this hunt without doing this.” 

“I know.” She said as she went over to the desk on the other side of the room. Slowly she opened the top drawer and pulled out a familiar leather-bound book. 

He watched her in confusion. “Dad’s journal?” 

“My Dean’s.” She clarified as she sat down on the bed. 

“He kept a journal?” 

“John encourage it.” She explained. 

“Okay.” 

“He used it for everything. A date book, contact list and a history of his hunts.” She told him as she began going through the pages before stopping when she flipped to a dog ear page. “L. Braeden, Cicero, Indiana.” 

Dean didn’t say anything and watched as she flipped some more pages. “June 4 and 5...LB in C, July 20...LB in C, Aug 30 LB in Indy...guess they decided to change it up that time. Those dates are from 2008 and continued at least once a month all the way up to two weeks before everything happened.” 

“Jo.” He said softly. He remembered thinking her reaction when he told her Lisa’s last name was strange, but he never expected this. 

She shook his head. “I asked him once because I had seen the name repeatedly. He told me L was short for Lee and he was a fellow hunter that he worked cases with since they worked the same territory.” 

“I’m sorry.” He said. 

“Don’t...you have nothing to apologize for. I said it the first night we were here. You’re not him and you will not apologize for his sins.” She told him firmly. 

He could see that she had been thinking and going through her history with her husband over the past three months and had obviously made some observations about their life together. 

“I’m not apologizing for him. I was saying I’m sorry because you’ve been hurt.” He explained. 

“Thank you for that then.” She said as she reached for his hand. Taking a deep breath, she looked him in the eyes. “I always had a sneaky suspicion that he probably hooked up with other women while out on the long hunts. Blowing off steam but this...he had an affair with this woman for over ten years. She meant something to him.” 

Dean stared at her and for the life of him he couldn’t find any words to say to her. Hell, even he hadn’t expected this. 

Jo sat up straight then. Her resolve final. “I know you need to tell me your history and I’ll listen but once you finish telling me then we put it away. No more ghosts between us. We deserve better than that...both of us do.” 

Dean nodded his head in agreement, and he began telling her about the women he felt she had a right to know about. 

As hard as it was, he told her about Lisa and his time with her and Ben. He told her about the angel Anna, about Lydia. She held him as he finally cried for the daughter, he never had a chance to know and about watching his brother killing Emma. Finally, he told her about Charlie and how his “little sister” gave her life for him. 

He explained about the Mark of Cain and how he eventually became a demon. He blushed but told her about the women he used during that time and how he treated them as nothing more than whores. He finished as told her about Amara and the connection he felt towards her...never quite sure how much of that was free will or her pull due to her being a powerful primordial entity. 

He finished by explaining about how Amara giving them their mother back. He told her about Jack and how the boy became a son to him. 

He didn’t bother talking about Michael and that final battle because Cas had told them that the first night. Instead he told her about how much he had grown to love Jack. 

Jo cup Dean’s cheek as he finished and asked the question she dreaded. “Were you in love with Lisa?” 

“I feel like I should say I was in loved with but honestly I was lost, and she was the only person left for me to go to besides Bobby. I had promise Sammy I would go to her, have that apple pie life.” He confessed before adding. “I’m not saying I didn’t have feelings for her though because that would be a lie. I did have feeling for her. Just never the way she wanted. Sometimes I think it’s was the chance to be a dad to Ben that drew me to her more than anything else. No, I was never in love with her, but I did care about her.” 

Jo sighed as she took in everything, he said in. “I think I understand, and I get why you wanted to share everything with me, and I want to do the same. I need to explain to you why I was so adamant about why I couldn’t hunt.” 

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he nodded his head encouraging. 

“Remember when I told you I handle a few salts and burns?” 

“Yeah.” 

Jo took a deep breath. “The last one that I handled I was pregnant. I started bleeding while I was digging the grave to get to the bones. I know I should have stopped but the ghost was torturing children, so I continued and finished the job. When I told Dean how I lost the baby I never seen him so angry and he made me swear while I was in the hospital that I would never hunt again.” 

“Oh Sweetheart.” He murmured as he pulled her into a hug when she started crying. 

“It wasn’t just him. John and Sam didn’t speak to me for over a month, they were so disappointed in me. It was my Mom who finally talked to me. She insisted that I had to accept that I wasn’t meant to be a hunter and that I was more useful taking care of Bobby and being there for Dean. That I was now a married woman and I had to put my marriage first and put away my hunting fantasy.” She told him. 

Dean shook his head. “That was bullshit.” 

Jo smiled. “I know that now, but I didn’t back then. I thought she was right. I was 19 years old and what did I know other than what my Mom and husband told me.” 

Dean swallowed his anger. He tried to remember what his brother had told him. As mess up as their relationship was, she did love her family. 

Jo cocked her head as she watched his reaction. “Dean, I loved my husband... I still love him but I’m not a fool, I know things weren’t all sunshine and roses between us. We had grown apart, but I also know that he did love me, and he loved our Siobhan as well as wanting Amelia. I will make sure that Amelia knows about her father. About how her father, her grandfather and her uncle all laid down their lives for her because they love her.” 

“Jo I’m not trying to replace...” 

“I know.” She reassured him as she leaned forward and kissed him. “I know that. Please Dean, I need to say this.” 

“Okay.” 

“I want Amelia to know how incredibly lucky she is to be blessed with two fathers who love her. To have not one but two Uncle Sammy that would do anything for her. I want her to know about both her sisters Siobhan and Emma and I want her to know about her brother Jack. I want Amelia to know about all of her family.” 

Dean stared at the woman in front of him speechless. Jo smiled as she continued. “I need you to know that I’m ready to start to move on, to let myself fall in love with you. I want to be able to open my heart to you completely Dean.” 

Dean stared at Jo and did the one thing that felt right to him. He reached out cupping both of her cheeks with his hands and gently pulled her closer and kissed her. When they finally pulled apart both were breathing heavy. 

He pulled her closer as he laid back down. “We don’t have to if you’re not ready.” He told her as he ran his hands along her back. 

Jo smiled. “I know. I’m sure Dean I want to make love with you.” 

He groaned as Jo hooked her leg around his hip as she pulled him down for another kiss. 

That was all the reassurance he needed as they let themselves get lost in each other. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the feedback and Kudo!! Please keep them coming. I hope people like this next part.
> 
> Thanks  
> Val

Chapter 8 

Dean whistle as he put the pack and play in the trunk of the Impala. Sam grunted as he put the portable bassinet and suitcase down. 

“I don’t think we’re going to get everything in. She’s one baby...does she really need all this?” Sam asked. 

Dean continued to whistle as he picked up the bassinet and put it into the trunk next to the pack and play, completely ignoring his brother. 

Sam frown at his brother. “Hey earth to Dean, come in Dean.” 

“Huh?” 

“What’s wrong with you? Did you hear anything I said?” He smirked at the older hunter. “What you and Jo made out like teenagers again this morning?” 

Dean grinned at Sam as he started whistling again. 

Sam stared at the other man as his mouth dropped open. “Dean, did you and Jo ummm well you know last night?” 

Dean looked around the garage. “Where are the rest of the baby’s bags?” He asked ignoring his brother. 

“Dean,” Sam hissed as he looked over to make sure they were still alone. “You did, didn’t you.” He said with a knowing smile. 

“Grow up Sam.” Dean teased as he slapped his brother on his back as he went to pick up the suitcase the other man had brought in. 

Sam laughed at Dean. “Whatever Dude, I’m happy for you both. Though Jo could do better.” 

“Don’t I know it.” Jo teased as she came into the garage carrying Ami. “Sammy, I brought the rest of the bags down, they’re by the door.” 

“I would have grabbed them.” Sam said as he straightened from trying shift things around in the truck. 

“Dude you were just bitching like a little girl about how much stuff...” Dean started. 

“Was not.” Sam huffed as he slapped his brother. “I’ll go grab them for you Jo.” 

Jo laughed as Sam hustle past her and Ami. She turned her attention back to Dean when she felt him hooked his finger in her belt loop and tugged her towards him. 

“Hey,” he murmured as he kissed her neck. 

“Hey yourself,” Jo sighed as her eyes fluttered shut, savoring Dean’s kisses. 

“Any more ba...crap sorry... Ummm...yeah leaving now.” Sam stuttered as he hurried out of the garage. 

Jo laughed as Dean rested his head on her shoulder mumbling about Sasquatch having bad timing. 

“Or we need to be respectful that we aren’t alone and keep it in the bedroom.” Jo teased. 

That suggestion caught Dean’s attention. “You’re right. How about we postpone the trip, put the Peanut down for a nap and I do some very naughty things to her Mama.” He said with a grin. 

“Can’t.” Sam called from the other side of the door. “Jody’s expecting us in a couple of hours.” 

“Go away!” Dean shouted. 

“Nope don’t trust you to finish packing the trunk.” Sam shouts back. 

“He’s finishing now and I’m putting Ami in her car seat.” Jo called over her shoulder. 

“Stupid hunting trip.” Dean grumbled. “Separating me from my girls.” 

Jo smiled as she kissed Dean on the cheek and whispered in his ears. “Just think about the fun we’ll have catching up when we get back.” 

Dean groaned. “I’m going to be taking a cold shower when I get to the motel tonight.” 

Jo smirked as she went around the car to strap Ami in for the ride before jogging around and getting in the front passenger seat. She rolled her eyes as she heard Dean and Sam fighting about how to finish packing the trunk. 

“Told you I would get everything in!” 

“Oh yeah Dean, then what about the bags by your feet.” 

“Those are our duffels. We can put them in the back seat.” 

“And where is Jo going to sit? The roof of the car.” 

Jo smiled as she hung her head out the window. “Don’t worry about me Sammy. I’m nice and comfy.” 

Sam’s eye widened when he realized Jo was in his seat. “Deannn.” He whined. 

“Children ride in the back...parents in the front.” Dean announced as he slapped his brother on his shoulder. 

“That’s ridiculous!” Sam said. 

“Car rules Sammy. Driver decides who sits in back and you’re in the back. The duffels will fit on the floor in front of Ami. you’ll have plenty of room.” He said as he grabbed both and quickly piled them in the car. 

“Fine but I’m not giving up the front seat when we pick them up.” Sam huffs as he got into the car for a long and uncomfortable ride to Jody’s 

SPNSPNSPN 

“Oh, she’s beautiful!” Jody gushed and Dean had a video he was taking with his phone to prove it. 

Sam stared at the sheriff in shock. Jody was one of the toughest hunters he knew but two minutes with Amelia and she turned into a puddle of goo...but then again so had he and Dean. 

“Dean! Sam!” Claire and Alex called as they came out to greet them. Giving each hunter a hug. 

“Wow Sam! We got hugs! They didn’t push us aside to grab the baby the second we got out of the car.” He teased as Jody looked up and rolled her eyes. 

Jo stood back and watched the small knit group of hunters. Dean caught her watching them out of the corner of his eye and quickly went over and held his hand out her. 

“Jo, this is Alex and Claire.” He said introducing Jo to the younger women. “And the baby hog is Sheriff Jody Mills.” He quipped as he nodded to the woman currently bouncing her daughter on her hip. 

“Shut it Dean!” Jody said as she gave him a look that made him blush before turning to address the other women. “Jo it’s nice to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too. Thank you for letting us invade your home.” She said as Dean squeezed her hand reassuringly before joining Sam to help with Amelia and Jo things. 

“Come on in and I’ll show you where you and Amelia are sleeping.” Jody said as she called over her shoulder. “You boys are all set with that stuff right.” 

“Yes Mam.” They both answered in unison. 

An hour later they were all sitting around the kitchen table after Dean and Sam had dragged in everything and set up both the pack and play and the portable bassinet. 

Dean was giving Ami a bottle while Sam told the others about their hunt. Jody looked up and saw the way Dean held the baby in his arms and smiled. “I wish Bobby was here to see you with Ami.” 

“He would have loved having a granddaughter.” Dean agreed as he shared a look with the older woman. 

Sam sighed sadly as he thought about the man who was more of a father to them than John Winchester, especially to Dean. Bobby always gave Dean a little extra attention, knowing how their father drove his oldest. 

“Dean, we should get going” 

Dean looked up at his brother and nodded his head. “Right.” 

Jody coughed as she stood up and looking at the others. “We’ll give you three some privacy.” 

The others left the room and Jo scooter closer to Dean and her daughter. “Hey,” she said as she placed her hand on his arm. 

“I’m not ready to do this. To be away from her.” He confessed. 

Jo smiled remembering what she said last night about being ready to fall in love with Dean. Screw ready to fall in love with the man in front of her. She was already in love with him and his confession just now made her love him even more if that was possible. 

“We’ll be right here when you come back to take us home.” She told him. 

“Right...right. I have something for you.” He told her as he shifted Ami in his arm and reached behind his back and pulling a gun out. “I know you haven’t probably shot one in a while but it’s like riding a bike.” 

Jo’s eyes widened. “Oh!” 

“I want to make sure you can protect yourself and Ami if you have to.” He explained. 

She held out her hands in the ‘give me’ gesture, a huge smile on her face. “It’s gorgeous!” 

Dean laughed at her obvious excitement as she gaged the weight of the gun before checking the clip. Damn them for holding her back. This woman was meant to be a hunter, he could see it in her eyes. 

“Oh, Baby thank you!” She gushed as she leaned forward and gave him a kiss that made him groan. 

“Definitely gonna need a couple of cold showers.” He whispered as they pulled apart. 

They looked up as the others came back into the room. Sammy and Jody both cocked an eyebrow at the weapon Jo held in her hand. 

“Dean gave me a gun.” She told them proudly. 

“Well put it away, I’m technically the law and I’m guessing you don’t have a license to carry.” Jody said with a shake of her head. 

“Yeah and Donna’s even more of a stickler about that stuff.” Sam said as Jo slipped the gun into the back of her jeans. 

“Donna?” Dean said the other sheriff name questioningly. 

“I might have texted her a photo of me holding the baby...she decided to take some time she had coming to her and will be here in time for dinner.” Jody admitted shyly. 

Jo looked at Dean who gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ll love Donna.” 

“Dean,” Sammy said. “We really need to get going.” 

“Alright.” The older man agreed as he stood up and handed Ami to Jo before adding, “walk us out.” 

Jo nodded her head as the brothers gave Jody and the girls hugs before they headed outside with Jo and Ami. 

“I guess you can have the front seat.” Jo teased as she stretched up to give the younger Winchester a hug. “Watch each other’s back, okay.” She added whispered in his ear. 

Sam smiled as Jo turned and gave him a kiss on the cheek and his brother grumbling about him finding his own woman. 

When the pulled apart he happily took Ami from Jo so that he could give the infant some cuddles and say goodbye. 

Jo walked over to Dean and accepted his outstretched hand as they walked a little away from Sam and Amelia. “I have something for you too.” She told him as she reached into her inside coat pocket and pulled out the journal, she had showed him last night. 

“I don’t understand, why?” He asked as he accepted the book. 

“Because there may be stuff in there that will help. He wrote about when we first met Gabriel and there’s comments in there that I don’t completely understand but you and Sam may. I also want you to know that you can share what I told you last night with Sam.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Positive. No secrets between us. We four are a family now.” She told him as he slipped the book in his jacket. 

“Family.” Dean said as he pulled her in and kissed her. He sighed as they pulled apart and he mated his forehead to hers. 

Jo ran her fingers along the nape of Dean’s neck. “I was thinking about asking Jody and the girls about a training routine for me. One geared towards women that you and Sammy could do with me when we get back.” 

Dean grinned at that piece of news. “Good. I think that’s a great idea.” 

“Are you sure...” She started to ask but Dean cut her off with another kiss. 

“I.” Kiss. “Want.” Kiss. “You.” Kiss. “To.” Kiss. “Be.” Kiss. “Who.” Kiss. “You.” Kiss. “Are.” Kiss. “Meant.” Kiss. “To.” Kiss. “Be.” Kiss. 

Jo giggle, she liked playful Dean. “And who do you think that is?” She asked. 

“Whoever you damn well want. Hunter...researcher...accountant. Don’t matter to me. I’ll support whatever you choose...except don’t expect me to crunch any numbers with you if you choose accountant.” 

Jo stared at Dean in awe before teasing. “Definitely accountant.” 

“Damn I knew I should have said pole dancer.” 

“What?!” Sammy cried out as he joined them. 

“Nothing, your brother is being a goof.” Jo told him as she laughed. 

Dean snorted at the bitch face his brother gave him before holding out his arms for Amelia. Sammy gave the little girl one last kiss before handing her to Dean. 

They watched as the older hunter kissed the baby several times and Jo had to swallow the lump in her throat as Dean said softly “Daddy loves you to the moon and back Sweetpea.” 

Sammy looked at his brother, shocked to hear him calling himself Daddy. Dean just gave him a look that he knew meant he would explain later. 

Dean gave the baby a few more kisses and cuddles before passing her to Jo. The brothers got into the Impala as Jo backed away. 

“Call me.” She urged. 

“I’ll call tonight." Dean promised. He closed his eyes for a moment and finally turned the ignition key and pulled away as Jo smiled and waved Ami’s little arm goodbye. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Sammy looked at his brother as he finished telling him about what him and Jo discussed last night. 

“Okay I’m just going to say it. The other dimension Dean was a fucking prick! Cheating on her for over ten years!” 

“If you ask me, they’re all a bunch of assholes. Making her swear to never hunt again after a miscarriage. The other you and Dad not speaking to her to punish her for losing the baby. Then Ellen, I can’t wrap my head around that she basically council her to submit to her husband.” 

“Well I’m just happy she’s seems to be finding her own way.” 

“Remember the night we brought Ami home and I said they broke her. I should have known better. Deep down she’s a fighter.” Dean said with a smile. “Seriously Sammy you should have seen the way her eyes lit up when I gave her that gun.” 

“And she wants to start training too. That’s a good thing and that was a great idea to work with Jody, Donna and the girls.” Sam told his brother. 

Dean reached into his jacket and pulled out the journal she had given him and tossed it to his brother. 

“Dad’s journal.” 

“The other Dean...seems his father encouraged him to keep one.” 

Sam’s eyebrow shot up at that. His brother would never keep a journal. The differences between them and the other dimension versions of themselves was surprising. 

“She said there might be something helpful in there. That there’s some mentions of Gabriel she didn’t understand.” Dean explained. 

Sam looked at Dean. “Well you said that we were going to need to speak to Gabriel and looks like you were right.” 

Dean frowned as he thought about the archangel. “You know he hasn’t called since he left after Ami was born. He told Jo he would be in touch, but he hasn’t.” 

“He had feelings for Dean. Probably didn’t want to watch you two getting close.” Sam reasoned. 

“I guess. Have you heard from Cas?” 

Sam looked up from the book. “Not in a while. Dean, he’s still dealing with losing Jack. He’ll be back when he’s ready.” 

Dean reached out and turned the radio on, effectively letting his brother know he was done talking. Sam looked at his brother and could see he was pondering some things, so he took the opportunity to begin reading the journal in his hands. 

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Episode tag to Atomic Monsters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the feedback and kudo!!! I hope people like this next part! Thank you and enjoy!!
> 
> Val

Chapter 9

Dean opened Baby's driver door and slid in behind the steering wheel while Sam took care of Billie's body.

Sighing he pulled out his phone and decided he needed to see his girls and hit the FaceTime app on his phone and punched in Jo's number.

"Hey," Jo said sleepily.

"Shit, did I wake you?" He asked as he looked at his watch and realized it was almost 1:00am.

"It's fine." She reassured him as she turned on the light next to the bed. "Did you get the father?"

"Wasn't the father, it was the son. The father was trying to cover up for him." He explained. "Jo he was going to let me behead him to save his son."

Jo looked at Dean's face. "He loves his son."

"Yeah he did, and Billie loved his parents." Dean said as he told Jo about the teen and how he gave himself over to him and Sammy.

"Jo that kid was so damn brave. He didn't ask for this and he wanted us to stop him from hurting another innocent person. Watching him kneeling down so that I could sever his head..." he said softly as he whipped at the tears that threaten to spill.

Jo watched Dean's face carefully. She knew there was nothing she could say to make things better.

Dean's eye lit up slightly when he heard Ami gurgling in the background. "She's awake?"

Jo smirked. "She is now. I think she heard your voice. Hold on." She said as she got out of bed and went over to the bassinet. She turned the phone around so that Ami could see him.

"Hey Peanut. Are you being a good girl for Mama?" He cooed.

"Yup she is." Jo told him as she placed her hand on the baby's tummy as she shushed her. "Oh, and you should see all the stuff Jodi and Donna have bought for her. They are spoiling her rotten."

Dean chuckled at that. "Sammy is going to flip when he hears this. He already complained that there wasn't enough room in the car with all of Ami's stuff."

"Well I convinced Jodi to keep some stuff here." She explained.

"He'll be happy to hear that." He told her as he watched his brother walking out from the line of trees a little way down from where they were parked. "Sammy's done with the body. We're driving through the night and we will be there in the morning."

"Alright, we'll see you soon." Jo said giving him a smile.

"Give Amelia a kiss for me."

"I will. Drive safely. Bye." She said as Sam open the passenger door looking at Dean's phone.

"Will do. See you soon. Love you." Dean said as he hung up the phone.

Sam stared at his brother as Dean started the engine of the Impala. Dean looked over at the younger hunter and saw the way he was staring at him. "What's wrong?"

Sammy shook his head. "You don't even realize what you just said."

"Huh?"

"Just now while you were saying goodbye to Jo. What you just told her."

"That we would see them soon. I told her we're driving through the night."

"Not that." Sam said as he tried not to laugh. "Dude you said you love her."

Dean looked at his brother like he had grown a second head. "What the Hell are you talking about. I think I would know if I said I love you to somebody."

"You said and I quote, 'Will do. See you soon. Love you.' Love you! Dean you totally just told Jo you love her."

Dean gaped at his brother as he replayed the goodbye in his head. "Son of a bitch. Do you think she heard it?"

"I guess you'll find out when we get to Jodi." He said with a smirk, enjoying the blush on his brother's cheeks.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean parked the car outside of Jodi's house and watched as Jo stood on the porch watching them as they got out of the car.

"Hey Jo." Sam said as they climbed the front stairs.

"Sammy," she said as she hugged the youngest Winchester as Dean stood back watching her carefully. "Everyone is in the kitchen having breakfast."

"Sounds good to me, I'm starving."

Jo cocked her eyebrow at Dean. He gulped as she walked towards him. Stretching up she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

She reached down and took his hand in hers before turning to lead him back into the house, passed the kitchen and upstairs to the room she and Ami were staying in.

He smiled when he saw the baby sleeping in her bassinet. "I figured you would want to get her up and spend a little time with her."

"You figured right." He agreed.

"I'm going down to finish my breakfast." She said as she let go of his hand and headed towards the door, stopping before she left the room. "Oh, and Dean," she called.

"Yeah." He said as he lifted Ami up laughing as she fought to open her eyes while yawning.

"I love you too." She told him. She rolled her eyes at the look of shock on his face. "What did you think I didn't hear you?"

He opened and closed his mouth several times as she laughed and walked out of the room. Dean watched her retreating back and finally shouted as she started down the stairs, "Just remember I said it first."

"Oh, I will." She called back.

Dean grinned as he turned his attention back to the child in his arms. "So Peanut, how about we get you into a clean diaper and then we'll go down for breakfast."

SPNSPNSPN

After everyone had breakfast and they repacked the Impala with the baby things the group of hunters said goodbye and the family of four where on their way back to the bunker.

Sam grumbling most of the way as Jo had snagged the front seat and he had to sit in the back again. He was starting to feel like a kid again and it didn't help any when he heard himself whining and Dean offering him a treat when they got back if he stopped.

When they got back to the bunker Dean and Sammy unloaded the car as Jo took Ami inside to the nursery.

She changed the baby and put her into a yellow onesie. Jo turned when Dean and Sam carrying the baby's things in.

"I'm going to hit the shower and get some shuteye." Dean announced as he stopped in front of Jo to brush a kiss on top of Ami's head before continuing into their room.

Sam waited until Dean left the room and gave Jo a tentative smile. "Dean said you gave him the okay to fill me in."

"I did," she said.

"And he told you about Emma."

"He did."

Sam nodded his head as he reached out to stroke Ami's back but let his hand drop instead. "Jo if you're not comfortable..."

"Sammy," she said interrupting him. "As far as I'm concern you would only have done it because you had no other option and if Dean trusts you with Amelia then so do I. You're her uncle and I know you would never hurt her."

"Okay," he said. Since Dean had told him about his and Jo's talk his thoughts kept going back to Emma. Back to the decision he made to save his brother and kill his niece.

"You look pretty wiped too. Why don't you grab a shower and get some sleep."

"Yeah that sounds good to me." He said as he started for the door. "Jo." He called out causing her to turn and looked at him. "I'm sorry you and Amelia had to go through everything in your dimension but having you both here with us...I can't explain it really, but it just feels right."

She smiled in understanding because for a while now she's felt the same way. He gave her a quick head nod before heading towards his room. Looking down she saw that Amelia had fallen asleep and gently laid her down in her crib.

Walking into their room she crossed over to the bathroom and knock softly on the half-closed door. "Dean," she called as she poked her head.

"Come on in."

Jo walked in and was a little surprised to see Dean soaking in the tub instead of taking a shower. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that Ami's down for a nap and I have the monitor so don't worry about getting up with her."

Dean grinned at Jo. "The baby's down for a nap and Sammy is gonna be out of it for a while too. What you say you get naked and join me...we can wash each other front." He suggested while wiggling his eyebrows.

Jo burst out laughing. "Seriously that's a horrible line."

"How about I missed you instead." He asked.

"Much better." She said as she quickly removing her clothes and joined him. She hissed slightly at the temperature as she slid down into the tub and settled between Dean's legs with her back resting against his chest.

"Too hot?" Dean asked as he kissed her shoulder.

"No, it's good." She murmured. "Never took you as a bath man."

Dean chuckled. "Feels good after a long ride."

"A relaxing bath is always good." She agreed as Dean wrapped his arms her middle as he leaned back against the tub.

Dean sighed as he felt himself relaxing completely. "So did the girls help you figure out a training routine?"

"The 'girls'," she teased.

"Can't say it's sexist since they refer to us as the 'boys'"

"True," she conceded before she started laying out the routine that they felt would be best. "Jodi and Donna said my aim is pretty good considering I haven't shot a gun in years, but target practice is a must and they said we should start working on crossbows and knife throwing too."

"Yeah I definitely been thinking about weapon training too after seeing how excited you were when I gave you the gun. What about hand to hand combat?"

Jo slid her foot along Dean's calf. "Claire and Alex showed me some Krav Maga techniques. They said that I should be able to pick it up quickly."

"Krav Maga, is that the one the IDF teaches their soldiers? The one that's a combination of boxing, wrestling and some martial arts too?" He asked as he nibble on her ear lobe.

Jo moaned as Dean began to kiss her neck. "Yeah...they showed me some training videos on YouTube."

Dean groaned as Jo squirmed and caused some very pleasant friction between their bodies. "Well I'm always up to learning some new moves."

"Oh, you are?" She asked as one of his hands slowly move along her stomach down between her legs.

"Definitely," he whispered in her ear as his he slipped two fingers inside of her.

Jo panted softly as Dean quickly found a rhythm that had her heart beating faster. She groaned in frustration as she heard the piercing cries of her daughter coming over the monitor.

"Seriously we need to talk to her about timing." He said as he dropped his head onto Jo's shoulder.

Jo took a shaky breath as Dean pulled his hand away from her body so that she could get up. "Agree," Jo said as she stood up and got out of the tub before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself as she hurried into the nursery.

Dean rolled his shoulders as he stood to get out of the tub too. "Sorry buddy," he murmured to his semi erect dick as he dried off and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt.

He smiled when he walked into the room to see Ami laying on their bed surrounded by pillows so she couldn't roll too far and a naked Jo grabbing some clothes to put on.

"I'm not opposed to becoming nudists." He said with a grin as he leaned against the wall and enjoying the view.

"Doubt Sammy would approve." She teased as she slipped on a pair of panties before tossing on a grey thermal jersey and leggings. "Just have to settle for bra less."

Dean strolled over to the dresser where Jo stood as she grabbed a pair of socks and spun her around and lifted her up, sitting her on top of the dresser, stepping between her legs and kissing her.

They pulled apart when Ami began crying again. "Is she doing this on purpose?" Dean asked as he took a few steps backwards and walked towards the bed.

Jo laughed as she hopped down. "Probably doesn't like sharing your affections with another woman."

"Is that it? Are you jealous Peanut?" Dean ask the infant as he laid down next to her and rubbed her tummy to help soothe her. He grinned when Ami's cries subsided, and she began to gurgle happily at him.

Jo huffed good-naturedly as she slipped on her socks and sneakers while sitting on the end of the bed. "Such a lady's man."

Dean laughed as he nuzzled his nose against Ami's cheek. "I think nap time is over."

"I know, I'm taking her with me. You need to get some sleep." She told him as she stood up.

Dean smiled as he watched Ami blowing a spit bubble while playing with her feet. "I just need a few hours." He told her.

Jo bent over and picked up Amelia. "Come on Sweetpea, Daddy needs his rest."

Dean smiled to himself. Damn he liked hearing Jo refer to him as Daddy to Amelia.

"See you in a few hours." He said as he yawned and grabbed a couple of the pillows and fell asleep before Jo and Ami left the room.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean stretched as he got out of the bed and stood. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and did a double take. He had slept for seven hours.

He went into the nursery and saw that Ami wasn't in her crib so he headed into the main living space of the bunker and found Sammy and Jo at the kitchen table watching videos on Sammy's laptop while Ami was bouncing happily in her bouncy chair.

"Hey why didn't you wake me up?" He asked as he sat down to see what they were looking at. "Is that Krav Maga?"

"Yeah, remind me to never spar with Claire or Alex. This looks pretty lethal." Sammy said before adding. "I think it's perfect for you Jo. They have a lot of moves geared towards women...they're dirty but that's what makes it perfect. It'll give you the element of surprise."

Dean watched the video and nodded his head at the way the fighters were moving. "I think we need to really study these films so that we can practice these moves."

Jo stood and went to the stove and lifted the cover off the pot that she had simmering. Dean sniffed the air. "Stew?"

"Lamb." Jo said as she stirred the stew. "If you don't mind putting the biscuits in the oven, we'll be ready to eat when they're done."

Dean got up and grabbed a tube of biscuits, butter and the honey off the shelf.

Jo watched as Dean put a large dollop of butter in a small glass bowl and popped it into the microwave for a few seconds and then mixed in some honey before setting it aside as he opened the tube of biscuits and put them on the cookie sheet. Grabbing the melted butter and a pastry brush he slathered butter on each before putting the biscuits in the oven.

"Oh my God that's your secret! Honey and melted butter." Jo cried.

Dean smirked at her. "Damn I should have made you leave the room." He teased.

"Ha-ha." Jo said with a roll of her eyes as she tapped Sam on the shoulder. "Enough Sammy. Put your laptop away please and then go wash your hands for dinner."

Dean leaned against the counter and watched his brother give Jo a "yes ma'am" before quickly followed her orders. He waited until Sam left to wash up before laughing. "Are we raising Sam now too."

"What?"

"You basically just told a 37-year-old man to put his toys away and go wash his hands for dinner."

Jo looked up at Dean in horror. "I didn't, did I?"

"Don't feel too bad, I promise him a treat in the car if he stopped complaining. I haven't done that since he was eight." He said still chuckling.

"Gee, I think I need more adult time if I'm mothering Sam."

Dean pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly on the lips. "I'm all for more adult activities."

Jo rolled her eyes. "I don't mean sex."

Dean cocked his head as he took the look in her eyes and saw that she was being serious. "I guess we dove straight into the deep end of the pool huh."

Jo shot a look at the door. "Dean I'm not complaining. This...us is good...really good. It's just..."

"It's just that we're now in a relationship but we've never even had an actual date. Hell, we've never even had a meal alone without the 'kids'." He said realizing he wanted that too. He wanted to have that normal couple experience with Jo.

"Am I being selfish?" She asked.

"Nope you're not and tomorrow night you and me out on the town while Sammy babysits Ami." He told her.

"Does Lebanon have any actual nightlife?" She asked as she turned the stove off.

"Well if you're looking for a fancy dinner, we'd probably will need to go a few towns over but if you don't mind eating at Casey's Pub and Grill, I can promise you a damn good steak dinner. Can't say there's any place for me to take you dancing but the bowling alley plays decent music while you're bowling."

Jo grinned at him. "That sounds like an honest to God date and it sounds amazing. I would love to go to dinner and bowling with you."

"Bowling, count me in." Sam said as he came back into the kitchen.

"Sorry Sammy you're on Ami duty tomorrow night while Jo and I go out." Dean announce as he opened the oven door to check the biscuits and saw they were done.

Sam's eyes widened in horror. "You're both going out...together...and leaving me with Amelia...alone?"

Dean grabbed the plate he put the biscuits on and put them on the table next to the pot of stew and bowls.

"Sammy if you don't think you're ready to babysit by yourself..." Jo started to say only to have Dean cut her off.

"You'll be fine. Jo and I need a night out." Dean said in a voice Sam knew he meant business and that he better fall into line. It was the same voice their father used on them growing up.

He looked over at Jo and smiled. "It'll be fine."

"Now let's eat before dinner gets cold." Dean said as he slapped his brother on his back in silent thanks.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately date night doesn't go as smoothly for our couple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the feedback and Kudos!!! I hope people like this next part.

Chapter 10 

Jo kissed Ami again before passing her over to Sammy as Dean stood by the stairs. 

“Now there are four bottles in the fridge. You just need to heat them up to room temperature...not too warm. There’s diapers, wipes, rash cream and talcum powder in the bottom of the changing table out here and in the nursery. She has a little bit of a rash so make sure you’re clean and dry her real good. She may be a little fussy so you could try giving her a bath with the lavender baby bath wash. Now...” 

“Jo, they’ll be fine. Sweetheart, let’s go.” Dean said as he came over and wrapped and arm around her waist to guide her out the door. 

“But Dean,” she whined as she reached out towards Amelia. “I need to kiss her goodbye.” 

“Jo you’ve already given her a dozen kisses. Come on, it’s not the first time you’ve left her.” 

“I’ll call if she needs you.” Sammy promised. 

“See we’re just a call away.” Dean said as he began ushering her up the stairs. 

“Oh, but I need to make sure Sam knows...” she argued. 

Dean stopped and looked at her. “Joanna Beth I’m going to toss you over my shoulder so that we can go out on our date.” 

Jo gaped at Dean. “You wouldn’t!” She gasped. 

Sam chuckled. “I wouldn’t test him if I was you.” 

“Come on mama hen, your baby chick is in good hands.” Dean said as he gently pushed her up the stairs so they could begin their first date. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Jo giggle as Dean told her about the time, he took the potion so that he could communicate with the dog Colonel. “I would have paid money to have seen Sammy’s face when he realized you were playing fetch with the wrapper.” 

Dean laughed as he remembered his brother’s face. “Your Dean and Sammy must have had some crazy hunts like that.” He said as he reached out and entwined his hand with hers. 

Jo frowned as she considered Dean’s comment. “I guess, I don’t really remember them talking about any in particular. I don’t remember them talking to me about their hunts really now that I think about it.” She told him somberly. 

Dean stared at her. It seemed like they really kept her in the dark when it came to hunt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

Jo shook her head slightly. “It’s funny, I’m not upset. I don’t really feel anything about Dean keeping that part of his life away from me.” 

“You know, I don’t expect you not to talk about him.” Dean told her as he lifted their joined hands and kissed hers. 

Jo nodded her head. “I know. It’s just...I don’t know how to explain it but I guess I realized how little Dean actually shared his life with me and it’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about my life with him...it’s...it’s...oh God this is humiliating to admit out loud but I can’t share with you too much because there’s not a lot for me to share with you. There hasn’t been anything for years if I’m honest with myself.” 

Dean studied her face and tried to wrap his head around what she was saying. It was almost like once the raw emotions of losing her husband, Sam and John had passed a veil had been lifted about the reality of her marriage and her life in the other dimension. 

“You don’t have to answer this but why did you and he decide to have Amelia?” Jo blushed and Dean quickly shook his head. “Forget I asked.” 

“No, it’s a fair question.” She told him. “It’s a little awkward to talk to you about my sex life with him.” 

“Right...you know I think we can skip this.” He said as he realized he didn’t want to hear about Jo’s sex life with his doppelgänger from another dimension. 

“I’m sorry,” Jo apologized as she slowly pulled her hand away from Dean’s. 

Dean looked across at Jo and silently swore at himself as he slipped out of his seat and slid into the booth next to Jo and wrapped his arm around her. “No this is my fault. Let’s hit the rewind button and forget I asked you about their hunts. Can we go back to just having a nice time?” 

Jo chewed on her lower lip. “I want to tell you though.” 

Dean took a deep breath. “Okay.” 

“I don’t know. We never talked about it. He suddenly wanted to be with me. He was actually very sweet and romantic. Then when I found I was pregnant with Amelia he just smiled and said that was perfect. He was attentive about making sure I was doing everything to have a healthy pregnancy, but he wasn’t exactly interested in being intimate with once I got pregnant.” She told. 

“I don’t...I can’t imagine not wanting to be with you.” Dean told her and he meant it. He didn’t understand how they ended up that way or why she stayed with him. Something was gnawing at him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

The waitress came over with their meals. They ate in silence and after Dean paid the bill they headed back out into the night. Once they were settled in the Impala Jo turned to Dean. “I’m sorry I don’t really feel like bowling.” 

“I figured you wouldn’t feel like bowling now.” He admitted before reaching out and taking her hand in his. “I want to show you something if you’re up for a ride.” 

“Maybe we should call it a night.” 

“Please Jo, this is important to me and I want to share it with you.” 

Jo saw the look in his eyes and nodded her head. “Alright.” 

It took them almost an hour to get to the spot. Jo looked out over the water and smiled. “It’s lovely here.” 

Dean smiled. “I thought you would like it.” 

“It’s a nice place to come and relax.” She said as she sat down on one of the large boulders where they stood near. 

“I brought Jack here once, decided the kid needed to do something normal and brought him here to teach him how to fish.” He told her. 

Jo stared at him. “Oh Dean,” she murmured. 

“I loved that kid so damn much and yet I wanted to kill him after he killed our Mom. Didn’t even hesitate when Chuck gave me that gun. Part of me figured it was the right thing. I convinced myself that Jack had never really learned how to love but when it came down to it, he taught me more about love than I thought possible.” He explained. 

“Dean,” Jo whispered as she grabbed his hand. 

“Sweetheart everything that’s happened in our lives is what’s makes us who we are now...the good and the bad but like you said yesterday this...us is good and we can’t let ourselves get lost in the past.” 

Jo snorted. “I’m telling Sammy you’ve been reading his self-help books.” She teased before adding seriously. “I know you’re right. Honestly, I’m more confused that I’m not more upset about the things I’ve told you. Shouldn’t my husband cheating on me for apparently years upset me more?” 

“I don’t know, maybe you just accepted it because you had a suspicion about him possibly cheating from before.” He offered. 

“It’s not just that. Dean I can’t remember things...simple things.” She confessed. 

“Like what?” 

“I have memories of Siobhan...of her being born, when she got sick, staying with her while she died. That I know but the other day I was playing with Ami and wanted to start telling her about her sister but I couldn’t remember things like what songs Dean sang to her, what her favorite toy was or even her favorite color.” She told him not even attempting to hide her fear at this realization. “Do you think when I came through the rift something happened to me?” 

“I don’t know. We never had any memory issues and none of the hunters who came through from the apocalypse world ever mentioned any memory problems.” He told her as he considered what she had just said. 

“Dean it scares me. The more I think about things and the longer I’m here... I’m starting to think I never actually loved him.... that Dean. What if something is wrong with me...emotionally?” She confessed as she wiped at her tears. 

“Hey, come here.” He said as he pulled her in for a hug. “We’ll figure it out.” 

“It’s not just him...Dean...my Mom...I know I loved her but not that woman I remember. That woman never had my best interest at heart, she just wanted to control me. Everything just seems to be getting more and more jumbled.” 

“Jo we will figure it out.” Dean swore as he kissed the crown of her head. 

Jo nodded her head as she clung to Dean as she cried. Her emotions seemed to be out of control now that she voiced her fears out loud. Finally, her tears subsided, and she loosened her grip on Dean and pulled back so that she could look up at him. “Can we head back? I just need to see Amelia.” 

Dean wiped her tears from her cheeks before leaning down and kissing her gently. “Yeah, let’s go home.” 

SPNSPNSPN 

Sam looked up from the journal he was reading as Dean and Jo came down the bunker stairs. “Hey, how was your date?” He asked with a grin. 

Jo gave Sam a small smile as she walked past him to the bassinet that they had moved into the main space from her and Dean’s bedroom once Ami went into her crib. Jo stared at the infant and sighed as she gently lifted the sleeping baby into her arms and hugged her. 

Sam looked at Jo as Amelia began to fuss slightly. “I was getting ready to give her a bottle.” 

Jo sat down at the table and undid a couple of buttons of her shirt as she brought Ami to her breast to nurse her. 

Sam blushed but forced himself to stay since Jo and Dean both told him he was being silly running out of the room whenever Jo decided to nurse Ami. “So, grown up time...” Sam said trying to make conversation. 

Jo and Dean shared a look before Dean began to fill his brother in on their conversation. The younger Winchester frowned but said nothing until Dean was done. Jo finished nursing Ami as Dean finished filling Sam in. He waited a few minutes thinking of how to broach what he had noticed while reading the other Dean’s journal. Once Ami had been burped and Jo had laid the child back in her bassinet, he cleared his throat and held the journal up and announced, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you that a certain archangel can explain.” 

“What are you talking about Sammy?” Dean asked as he and Jo sat up straighter. 

He held the journal up. “What you just told me makes this journal make more sense.” 

“What do you mean?” Jo asked not sure how her memory issues could tie into her husband’s journal. 

“Jo I’m sorry I don’t know how to say this but the first time that Dean actually mentions you in here is after Gabriel approached them.” 

“Do you remember that?” Dean asked as he held his hand out towards the journal. 

Sam gave the book to his brother as Jo shook her head. “Not really. I don’t remember meeting him. He was just suddenly there.” 

“You mention once that you and your Dean talked about Gabriel having feelings for you. How so?” Dean asked as he went flipped through the journal. 

Jo shrugged her shoulders. “Dean and John would laugh that he liked to watch me. That I was precious to him.” 

“Precious,” Sam said as he looked at Dean. The pieces of the puzzle were slipping into place and the picture it was making wasn’t a pretty one. 

Dean saw the way his brother frowned at what Jo just said. “What’s that look for?” 

Sam sighed. “Dean mentions Gabriel bringing a precious gift that they agreed to protect.” 

“Oh God.” Jo said as she realized what Sam was saying. Her never being mentioned in the journal prior to Gabriel meeting the Winchesters...John and Dean jab about her being precious to the archangel...Dean obsession on her pregnancy. 

“When was that?” Dean asked as he grabbed Jo’s hand in support. 

“Around nine months ago.” Sam said. 

Dean sucked in a deep breath. That gnawing feeling came rushing back full force when he pieced together that was around the time Michael was walking around his meat suit. “Would you agree the only way Gabriel made it out of the Purgatory would be if one of his archangel brothers brought him back?” He asked Sam. 

Sam swallow as he nodded his head in agreement. “My guess would be Michael.” 

“Michael.” Dean agreed. 

“This is insane.” Jo said as Dean got up and went over to Amelia. 

“Jo, I’m sorry but it all fits together, and it would explain the reason your memories don’t seem to make sense is because they were planted.” Sam told her. 

“Gabriel, he spent centuries hiding from his father and brothers as a Trickster. He gets his jollies playing with people and planting false memories is up his alley.” Dean explained as he stared at Ami. 

“Why would he do this? Why make me think that Dean was Amelia’s father?” Jo asked as she looked back and forth between the two men. 

“Jo, he once made me watch Dean die over and over again for months.” Sam explained. 

Jo looked over at her daughter. “So, you’re saying I’m from a completely different dimension and that dimensions Dean is Amelia’s real father and he could still be alive?” 

“No that’s not what we’re saying.” Dean told her. 

“Sammy just said...” she argued. 

“Yes, I think you’re from a different dimension but...Jo...I think... I think I’m Amelia biological father.” He told her bluntly. 

“That’s not possible.” She argued. “Are you saying Gabriel altered both our memories?” 

“No not Gabriel. Gabriel and Michael.” Dean told her. “When you got pregnant with Amelia was when Michael was walking around in my meat suit. 

Jo looked at her daughter and swallowed the giant lump in her throat as she thought about everything Dean and Sam were saying and argued. “You’re wrong, if what you’re saying was true and you fathered Amelia while Michael was using you as his vessel then that would make her a Nephilim like Jack and she isn’t a Nephilim.” 

Sam cocked his head slightly. “Jo has a point. Dean...” 

“She wouldn’t be one if Michael wasn’t technical there during...I mean while we were...when we...you know...” Dean stammered. 

“Dean are you saying Michael released you as his vessel? If you had been free why would you have stayed?” Sam asked in disbelief. 

“I thought they were fantasies.” He confessed as he ducked his head at the way Jo sucked in a deep breath. Looking at his brother he said, “Sammy give us a minute.” 

The younger man looked at his brother and then Jo. “Of course,” he said as he got up. 

Jo sat watching Sam as he left them alone. “Fantasies?” She asked. 

“Please you need to understand. Our Jo...she was it for me...the one I felt I should have been with and even though I never told her I still imagined myself with her and she became a coping mechanism for me when reality became unbearable. When I first went on the rack it’s how I got out of my head and lasted for 30 years. Imagining my life with her. Making love...being a family.... that kept me going and I did the same thing when Michael used me as his vessel.” 

“And you think that he brought me from another dimension so he could watch you have actually sex with me...with just some damn version of her to get his jollies?” She asked horrified. 

“No,” he said quickly. 

“Then why?” She asked as she began to cry. 

“I hate saying this, but I think he wanted another vessel, one that I fathered and figured he could trick me by bringing you to me. Blurring my fantasy with reality.” He explained realizing it was the only thing that made sense. 

“A vessel!” She cried. 

“Jo he’s gone, and Ami is safe.” He tried to reassure her. 

“And what that makes it okay that he took me from God knows what dimension and bred us like animals.” 

Dean shook his head mutely as Jo stood up. 

“Dean, I have no clue where I come from. I’ve been gone for almost a year. I could have a family...a husband...other children.” She said as she took several deep breaths to try and keep calm. 

He looked down at his hands. “You’re right,” he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. 

“Don’t worry Darling, there’s no Mr. Harvelle or mini hunters waiting for you. Hell, there’s nobody looking for you anywhere.” 

Dean and Jo spun, each pulling their guns out and training them on the archangel they hadn’t seen since Amelia’s birth. 

“Seriously you do know guns are useless against me.” Gabriel said as he snapped his fingers and their guns became water pistols. 

“Guns may be useless, but an angel blade isn’t.” Sam hissed as he snuck up behind Gabriel and held the blade to his throat. 

“Uh-uh-uh stick me and bye-bye goes her memories not to mention you’ll never find your buddy Castiel.” 

Dean narrowed his eyes at the archangel before storming over to cabinet and grabbing a set of handcuffs. “Angel trap cuffs.” He explained to Jo as he quickly slapped them on Gabriel and shoved him onto a chair. 

He went over to Jo and pulled her aside. He needed to make sure she understood what they were dealing with. “Sweetheart you need to understand he’s not the Gabriel you’ve come to think of as a friend...as a member of your family.” 

“Oh, trust me I know that.” Jo told him firmly. 

Sam came over and joined them. “Where do we start?”

SPNSPNSPN

Jo looked at both men before answering. “Castiel. Restoring my memories will have to wait. Obviously, he has him somewhere so we need him to tell us where so we can bring him home.” 

Dean nodded his head relieved that she decided to take the lead and made that call. He didn’t trust himself not to say to restoring her memories first. 

“Okay,” Sam agreed before shooting a look at Amelia asleep in her bassinet. “Maybe we should move him into the angel proof room in the dungeon.” 

“Agreed.” Dean said as he looked at his brother. “Can you handle him...Jo and I...” 

“Yeah sure, take your time I’ve got this.” Sam said as he went over and grabbed Gabriel and began dragging him out of the room. 

“Don’t say it.” Jo said before Dean opened his mouth. 

“Listen to me, this isn’t about me trying to protect you. This is about Ami; I don’t think she should be here during this.” 

Jo looked over at her daughter and knew Dean was right. “What are you thinking?” 

Dean sighed. “Jody could be here in around five hours. She could take her until we get Cas back and figure everything out.” 

“I’m not going to be five hours away from _our_ _daughter_.” Jo said as she walked over to the bassinet and looked at the sleeping infant. 

Dean sighed in relief at hearing Jo saying, ‘our daughter’. “Okay, so Jody holes up close by and stays with Ami.” He agreed knowing he wasn’t comfortable with Amelia being that far away from them both. 

“Call her.” Jo said softly. 

“Jo,” Dean said as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I love you both so damn much.” He murmured in her ear. 

Reaching up she put her hand over his as she leaned back into the hug. “I love you too.” She told him as she prayed Gabriel wasn’t lying when he told them she wasn’t involved with another man in whatever dimension they pulled her from and that she was truly free to love this man.” 

“He’s secured.” Sam announced as he came back into the room and stopped when he saw his brother and Jo standing together. “Sorry,” he said as he started to back out of the room. 

“Don’t leave Sammy.” Jo told him as Dean kissed her neck. 

“I’ll call Jody,” Dean said as he grabbed his phone and hit the sheriff’s number on his speed dial. 

“We’re going to ask if she can come and take Ami.” Jo explained at Sam’s questioningly look. 

“Good.” He said, mentally agreeing on getting the baby away from the bunker. 

Jo reached down and lifted the sleeping child into her arms. Holding her close as she watched Dean talking on the phone. 

“How are you holding up?” The younger Winchester asked. 

“I don’t know. I’m praying that he is at least being honest that whatever dimension I’m from that I’m not committed to another because no matter what I love your brother.” 

“What about if he really is Amelia’s biological father?” 

Jo looked up at the other man. “Dean is Amelia’s father no matter what because he loves her unconditionally.” 

Sam smile as he reached across and ran his fingers through Ami’s hair. “We both do,” he whispered. 

“I know,” Jo returned Sam smile. “She is a very lucky little girl to have a father and an uncle who love her the way you both love her.” 

“That’s because we are a family.” 

“Family,” Jo repeated as she reached out and squeezed Sam’s hand. 

“Jody should be here around dawn.”’ Dean said as he joined them. 

Sammy watched as his brother wrapped his arms around Jo’s middle and watched his sleeping daughter. 

“Why don’t you two put Ami down for the night and then hit the hay. I’ve got Gabriel.” 

Dean looked up at his brother. “Give me a few hours and then I can relieve you.” 

“Dean, I got this. Spend this time with your family.” Sam told him. 

Dean opened his mouth to argue but stopped when Jo leaned back into his embrace and sighed. “If you’re sure.” He said instead as he squeezed Jo reassuringly before dropping his arms. 

“I’m sure. Go.” 

Sam watched as Dean and Jo headed towards the bunker sleeping quarters and hoped his brother and Jo would be able to weather the upcoming storm. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Jo kissed her daughter one last time before placing her in her crib. She watched her for a few seconds before heading into the adjoining bedroom. 

Dean stood by the doorway. “She didn’t wake up?” 

“Nope, I think she’s out for the rest of the night.” Jo said as she sat down on the bed. 

Dean slowly walked into the room and joined her when she gave him a shy smile and patted the spot next to her. She saw the hesitation in his eyes and reached down and grabbed his hand. 

“Do you want me to sleep in my old room?” He asked. 

“No,” she told him quickly. “I don’t want that. I... I want you here... I need you here with me...with us...” she stammered. 

“Good because I need be with you too.” He told her honestly as he pulled her onto his lap and buried his face into her neck. 

He wasn’t too sure how long they stayed that way but eventually Jo suggested they get undressed and try to get some sleep. They both got up and began to get ready for bed. 

Dean couldn’t help smiling as Jo picked up his discarded shirt and slipped it on over her nude body. 

She had been wearing his shirts to bed over the past month, usually stealing one of his tee shirts after they did the laundry but the other night after they made love for the first time she snagged his discarded shirt and slipped it on. Damn if that didn’t just turn him on. 

Shucking his jeans, he climbed into bed and gently pulled Jo closer and sighed when she kissed his chest before settling her head on the same spot. 

“Jo, he could be lying about no one looking for you.” He told her as he kissed the top of her head. 

Jo reached down and entwined their hands together. “I know and we’ll deal with it if he is lying but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” She said as she turned her head slightly and kissed his chest again. 

“Even if Michael pulled you from your dimension to trick me into making love with you to help create a vessel for him?” 

Jo sighed as she thought about what he was saying. She sat up so that she could look Dean in the eyes. 

“If that really is what happened then honestly it pisses me off, but I can’t say I regret it because if it is true then we made a beautiful daughter together and I could never regret our Amelia.” 

Dean smiled as he nodded his head in agreement. “I do have one regret,” he confessed. 

Jo swallowed nervously. “You do?” 

He reached up to cup her cheek. “I regret not being there the whole time. To have been able to watch as your body changed as Amelia grew inside of you. To have felt her moving, to be with you when you had your sonograms, all of it.” 

“Well we’ll have to do something about that.” She said as she beamed at his words. She loved this man no matter what and she wasn’t about to let whatever they find out to come between them. 

“Oh, what do you have in mind?” He teased. 

Jo smirked as she began to unbutton his shirt. “I don’t know. Do you have any ideas?” 

Dean grinned when she slipped his shirt off and knelt nude before him. “Oh, I definitely have some ideas.” He said as he put his hands under the blankets and shoved his boxers down before throwing them across the room as Jo chuckled. 

“Oh my...are those the boxers I bought you?” She asked with a laugh as they landed on the lamp on the desk. 

“Yup,” he said with a grin. “Now get under these blankets with me woman so we can go over my ideas.” 

“Yes Sir,” she purred as she slid in beside Dean. Both finding the comfort and love they needed in each other’s arms. 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok it wasn't until I posted this on another site that I was reminded that angels go to the Empty not Purgatory . I completely forgot about that...it's hard to remember everything from 15 seasons.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jody and Claire come to take care of Ami while the other prepare to talk to Gabriel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos!! I appreciate them so much!! I hope people like this next part. I'm gonna apologize, I'm not sure I have Claire really down too well so if she OOC sorry about that. Thank you again and enjoy!! Kudos and comments are always greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Thanks  
> Val

Chapter 11 

Dean walked into the kitchen and saw his brother pouring a cup of coffee. “Did he give you any problems?” 

“No everything was fine.” Sam said as he looked at his brother and frowned as he reached out and pulled at the neck of his shirts. “Aren’t you a little old for giving each other hickies?” 

Dean slapped his brother’s hand away. “We may have gotten a little carried away last night.” 

“Good,” Sam said with a grin. “You two are good for each other. You can’t let Gabriel come between you and Jo.” 

“We’re not gonna let him, trust me. If we can deal with Michael using us and tricking us into conceiving Amelia then we will face whatever Gabriel throws at us together, even if there’s someone else.” 

“Dean we don’t know that’s what happened.” Sam reminded his brother. He knew deep down it didn’t really matter to the older hunter because he couldn’t love that child any more even if she was his biological daughter. 

“I know but it’s the only thing that makes sense Sammy.” 

“I know,” he agreed softly, “but does it really matter?” 

Dean looked at his brother. “Of course not. That little girl is my daughter no matter what.” 

“Then why are you so focused on this Dean? I know you couldn’t love that child any more than you do.” 

Dean sighed. “Just that...dammit he...that Dean...he didn’t even love her or care how lucky he was to experience her pregnancy.” 

“I’m sorry.” Sam said knowing that if either of them was meant for fatherhood it was Dean and he knew his brother would want to experience everything too. 

“You know when we win this you and Jo could have another baby... make Ami a big sister.” Dean smirked at his brother causing Sam to blush. “Or maybe you already started...” 

“Well we may not be trying to prevent it from happening.” Dean told him. 

Sam shook his head. “Seriously, don’t you think you should wait until we win this battle before you guys try to get pregnant.” 

“Dude, I’m gonna be 41 in a couple of months.” 

“I think Jo needs to worry about her age, not you.” Sam told him. 

“Yeah well I don’t want to Tony Randall my kids.” 

Sam choked on his coffee. “Dean he was in his 80s when he had his kids.” 

“I’m probably 80 in hunter years.” He argued. 

“Hunter years...what like dog years?” Sam said snickering 

“You laugh look at Bobby...if you didn’t know his real age how old would you have thought he was when he died. Rufus...Pastor Jim...Dad?” 

Sammy went to say they were all alcoholics but realized Dean had been pretty much a functioning alcoholic the past 8 to 10 years himself. “Well at least you aren’t hitting the booze like before,” he said instead. 

“Nope. Beer only for this guy,” he said as he pointed his thumb at himself. 

Of course, he didn’t tell his brother how it was Jo who convince him that he could drink beer after seeing how he didn’t have any problems when he stopped drinking. 

She had ask him not to drink the hard stuff; that she wasn’t comfortable with him drinking like that around Ami and he had to agree since he had too many memories of taking care of his father drunk off his ass as a kid and didn’t want Ami to have memories like that. 

Jo walked into the kitchen carrying Ami. “Jody just texted me, she and Claire will be here in about 10 minutes.” 

“Claire?” Sam asked. 

“Yeah Jody said she offered to help, and once Jody realized she had agreed to babysit a two-month-old by herself she decided she wouldn’t mind an extra set of hands and accepted Claire’s offer to help.” Jo explained. 

“Ami’s stuff all packed?” Dean ask as he kissed his daughter on her nose. 

“Yeah, would you and Sammy mind bring her stuff down to the garage?” 

“Sure,” Sam said as he finished his coffee and both men went and began lugging the baby’s stuff to the garage while Jo began to fill a bag with a couple of canisters of formula, a container of the oatmeal they began adding to her bottles and a couple of gallons of distilled water. 

Grabbing the diaper bag, she put six bottles as well as a bottle of dish detergent, a bottle brush and extra nipples too. She knew they were staying at a motel with a small kitchenette and wanted to make sure they were all set for the baby’s stuff. She also grabbed a few dish towels for them too, knowing Dean was gonna make a fuss about everything she was packing. 

Going to the fridge she pulled out the leftover stew, cold cuts, bread and condiments and began another bag with food. She grabbed a fresh gallon of milk, a quart of cream and added them to the bag before she began grabbing snack food for the two women. 

Within five minutes she had three full grocery bags ready to go along with Ami’s provisions. 

When the four hunters returned to the kitchen Dean looked over the bags and shook his head. “Did you leave any food for us?” He asked as he went through the bags. “Hey, my Table Talk pies stay here!” 

Jo shook her head in amusement as she went and gave Jody and Claire a hug. “Thank you both so much for doing this.” 

“No problem,” Jody reassured the other woman as Claire walked up behind Dean. 

Claire looked over Dean’s shoulder when he pulled the treats out. “Aww Dean...cherry is my favorite.” 

Dean turned his head slightly towards the young woman. “Fine I’ll leave one for you.” 

“Three, I’m gonna be changing your daughter’s poopie diapers.” 

“One cherry and two Boston cream.” Dean bartered as he eyed his treasured pies. 

“One cherry, one apple and two Boston cream.” Claire countered. 

“I’m sorry, how have you gone from three to four pies? Nope greedy ends you back down to one.” Dean told her as he started towards the shelf to put them all back earning a slap on his ass as he passed by Jo. “Ohhh Baby.” Dean teased. 

“Gross...don’t wanna know about your dirty old man kinks Dean!” Claire said in disgust. 

Jo, Jody and Sam snickered as Dean narrowed his eyes and grabbed the cherry pie back. “No pie for you now.” He huffed. 

“If you children are done, why don’t you three bring the bags and car seat out to my car.” Jody said as she lifted Ami from the carrier. 

Dean bumped Claire shoulder as he passed by her and Jody smirked when she saw him pass the younger hunter one of the mini pies. 

The older woman turned and looked at Jo. “Dean filled me in last night. How are you holding up?” 

Jo chewed on her lower lip. “I don’t know. I know I’m in love with Dean and want to be with him, but we really don’t know anything about the dimension Michael pulled me from.” 

“About Michael...if Dean is really her father and he did use his ability as an angel to trick you into having sex with Dean you know you can talk to me about it. I would understand if a part of you felt violated.” She told the other woman gently. 

Jody knew that if what they think happened is correct then no matter what Jo couldn’t truly have consented to having sex with Dean...Hell Dean was just as violated since Michael basically used his body to impregnate the woman across from her. 

Jo sighed as she looked at the door. “I can’t go there Jody. If I did you and I both know Dean would take responsibility for it even though he was violated too. I won’t do that to him. He feels guilty enough that Michael used his fantasy against both of us. I will not let him think it was a form of raped too.” 

“I understand and I would never suggest broaching it with Dean. Just us...woman to woman.” Jody said in a hushed whisper as she reached out, taking the other woman’s hand and giving it a squeeze. 

No matter what Jody knew Jo was right too. That was one burden Dean didn’t need to carry. 

Jo gazed up at the other woman and saw the pain in Jody’s eyes and understood exactly what the other woman was saying without saying it out loud. “Oh Jody,” she cooed as she wrapped her arms around her. 

Jo pulled away from Jody when their heard the others coming back into the kitchen. Dean frowned when he saw both women wiping away their tears. 

He went over and slid his arm around Jo’s waist before kissing her temple. “We should let Jody and Claire go.” 

Jo sighed but nodded her head in agreement. Jody smile as she passed Ami to Jo so she could say goodbye to her daughter. Sam, Jody and Claire left to give Dean and Jo privacy to say goodbye to their daughter. 

Sam closed his eyes and sighed when he heard Jo begin to cry and Dean consoling her that they were doing the right thing and that Ami was in good hands with Jody and Claire. 

“As if Chuck hanging over our heads wasn’t bad enough. Now we have to figure out what Gabriel did with Cas and where Jo is really from!” Sam said angrily. Why couldn’t they just have a little happiness in their lives. 

“Sam you guys will get Cas back and figure everything else out.” Jody said reassuringly. 

“Yeah and then we’ll kick Chuck’s ass.” Claire told him as she wrapped her arms around his middle and gave him a hug. 

Sam looked down at the small blonde huntress and laughed softly as he kissed her on top of her head. “How could we not win with you in our corner.” 

“Damn straight,” Dean agreed as he and Jo came out of the kitchen with Ami in his arms. 

Claire smiled as she pulled back from Sam to accept the child that Dean held out towards her. 

“You guys should get going.” Jo said as she wiped at the tears she couldn’t seem to stop. 

“Aren’t you gonna walk us to the car?” The younger woman asked. 

Jo quickly shook her head and murmured, “I can’t...” 

Jody put a hand on her ‘daughter’ shoulder. “It’s fine Jo, we understand. I promise you she’ll be fine. I’ll call later to check in with you, okay.” She said as she gave the other woman a reassuring hug. 

“Thank you both again,” Dean said as he wrapped his arm around Jo’s waist and hugging her close. 

Sam squeezed Jo’s shoulder as he walked by. “Hey, I’ll come out with you.” He said as he followed the two women down the hall. 

Jo watched Claire carrying her daughter before turning and wrapping her arms around Dean’s neck and buried her face in his chest. 

He gently rubbed her back knowing all too well how a few days ago he hated leaving Ami for the first time and the ache he felt being separated from his baby girl. 

“We’re doing the right thing.” 

“I know.” She murmured into his shirt. 

“When Sam gets back, we’re gonna eat breakfast and come up with our game plan.” He told her as he kissed the top of her head. 

Jo sighed as she pulled back from Dean. “I’m going to go freshen up.” 

“Okay I’ll start on breakfast.” He told her as she gave him a small smile before heading back towards their bedroom. 

Dean had put together oatmeal, water and the dried mixed fruit into the instant pot before he began whisking eggs when Sam came back into the kitchen. “Scramble eggs, oatmeal and toast alright for breakfast?” 

“Sounds good. I’ll start on the toast.” The younger hunter said as he pulled out the whole wheat bread. 

Jo smiled as she walked into the kitchen and saw the brothers working together to make breakfast. “Can I help?” 

“All set Sweetheart,” Dean said as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he walked passed to put the pan with the eggs on the table as Sam put down a plate full of buttered toast and a jar of strawberry jam that all three preferred. 

He went over and released the steam for the oatmeal before lifting the cover to add brown sugar and cinnamon to the mixture before bringing it to the table. 

The three ate in silence for several minutes, all hungrier than they realized. After a few minutes Sammy wiped his mouth and asked, “how do you want to handle him?” 

Dean popped the last bite of toast into his mouth before taking a swig of coffee. “I think Jo should be the one to talk to him.” 

Sam and Jo looked at the older hunter both clearly surprised by his suggestion. 

“Me,” Jo squeaked. 

Dean grinned at her, “Yup, you.” He reached out and placed his hand over hers. “Look I think the only thing that was real is his feelings towards you. I don’t think he was ever romantically in love with you, but I think he loves you almost like an older brother would.” 

Sam consider what Dean was saying and thought he had a point. “I can see that. No offense Jo but the woman he usually ‘conjured’ up we’re ummm...” Sam blushed as he tried to think of a polite way to describe the women, he had seen the Trickster with. 

“Busty and slutty,” Dean finished as he scooped another heaping serving spoon of eggs onto his plate. 

Sam gave an embarrass smile as he shrugged his shoulders towards Jo. “That about sums it up.” 

“Ummm well I’m definitely not busty and I certainly hope I’m not slutty in the other dimension.” Jo quipped. 

Sam lifted the coffee pot and refilled his and his brother’s cups before holding it out towards Jo who shook her head. 

“Do you really think he’ll talk to me?” 

“He’ll be expecting me or Sammy to question him but you he won’t expect you and he may slip up a little.” 

Jo glanced over and saw Sam nodding his head in agreement and gave a strained smile. “Okay let’s finish up in here and then go interrogate an archangel.” 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes start to put the pieces together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudo!!! You all are the best!!! I appreciate all the kudo and feedback!!! I hope people like this next part. Thanks Val

Chapter 12 

Jo took a deep breath as she looks down at the red velvet cupcake on the plate she was carrying before opening the door to the angel warded room. 

Gabriel turned around when he heard the door open and the usual smirk he wore when speaking to either of the Winchester brothers faulted ever so slightly and if Jo hadn’t been watching him so closely, she may have missed it. 

“Hello Gabriel, I thought you might like a snack. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting.” 

Gabriel eyes the woman across from him and gave her a genuine smile as he lifted his hand to take the plate and cooed, “hello Darling.” 

Jo walked over to the chair against the wall and pulled it towards the center of the room as he sat down on the bed. “Don’t stand on ceremony Gabriel, please eat. I know it’s your favorite.” 

The archangel angel peeled back the paper wrapper and took a bite. “Good,” he murmured as he continued to eat the cupcake until it was gone. He licked his fingers as he watched Jo’s face. 

“Glad you liked it.” She said smiling. 

He narrowed his eyes as he studied her. “Well I prefer it over you pulling a gun on me.” 

“Gabriel, tell me where Castiel is.” 

He snorted in amusement, “what’s wrong, Dean missing ‘his’ angel. They can be adorable together when they aren’t both being drama queens. Always kinda rooted for them but Dean’s such a homophobe he’s never truly followed through on those deep dark desires. Just too taboo for him to even say it to himself. 

“Really?” She sighed. “I expected more than you trying to undermine my relationship with Dean by hinting he may have had a passing gay fantasy about Castiel. I might not be a physiatrist, but same sex fantasies aren’t that unusual and certainly doesn’t mean somebody is gay but nice try.” 

He shrugged his shoulders. “Can’t blame an angel for trying.” 

“Guess I won’t hold it against you. Again, where is Castiel?” She asked. 

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “So sad to see you becoming just as predictable as those two. Can’t see anything even if it’s right below their noses. Neither can think outside the box and it’s sad that it’s rubbing off on you.” 

Jo stared at him before standing up. “I’m not going to play this game Gabriel. I’ll come back when you actually want to talk.” 

He laughed as she walked over to door and knocked to let Dean know she was ready to come out. 

Dean looked down at Gabriel as the archangel decided to lay back and winked at him. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when Jo placed her hand on his chest and mouthed ‘don’t’ as she passed by. 

He looked at Gabriel one last time before closing the door and following Jo out. They quickly made their way to the map room where Sam was waiting for them. 

“I have the footage queue up.” He announced as they stood behind him and he began playing the video, glad that he had decided to place the hidden cameras in the various holding cells they had, especially after what happened with Nick. Maybe things would have be different if he had truly monitoring him. 

Sam felt his brother stiffen at the attempt to imply that he was secretly in love with Cas and hurt Jo. 

“Once an asshole always an asshole.” Dean said as he sat down next to his brother. 

“I think it threw him off that you didn’t take the bait about Dean and Cas.” Sam said as she continued to stand behind him. 

“Could you play it again please Sammy?” She asked. 

“Why didn’t hear enough about me being deep in the closet or you just want to listen to him sprout cliché sayings.” 

Jo ignored Dean as Sam rewound the video and she watched it again. She asked Sam to play it a few more times as she went and grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. She began to scribble some notes as she watched it one last time. 

“Care to share with the rest of the class Joanna Beth.” Dean said as he watched her writings her notes. 

“They’re not just cliché saying, I think they’re clues kinda like a scavenger hunt.” She said as she looked up grinning. 

Sam frowned as he contemplated what she was saying. “He does like to play with us, make us figure out puzzles.” He said beginning to think Jo was onto something. 

“He said you and Dean are always predictable. That you can’t see anything even if it’s right there below your noses and can’t think outside the box.” 

Dean looked at Jo and snorted. “Right under our noses...hay maybe he’s hidden Cas somewhere in the bunker.” He teased. 

Sam shared an amuse look with his brother, but his amusement was replaced with a sickening feeling that Jo was onto something. “You know there are rooms in this place that we never go in.” 

Dean sat back in his chair. “But only one room that can contain an angel which Gabriel is currently occupying, and I certainly didn’t see Cas hiding in the corner when I opened the door.” 

“Couldn’t he had just drawn the angel proof sigils himself in one of the rooms you don’t go into?” She asked as she stood next to Dean. 

“Not without taking a chance of trapping himself.” Sam explained. 

“Well he can’t claim you don’t think outside the box.” Dean told her as he pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her cheek. 

Sam’s head shot up. “Think outside the box...Dean may be there isn’t another room that would hold an angel but there is something in the bunker that would hold an angel.” 

“Something?” 

Dean stomach churn as he realized his brother was referring to the Ma'lak box that he had built to contain Michael and had ended up trying to trap Jack in. “The Ma'lak box,” he whispered. 

The three quickly got up and Jo follow the brothers to an area of the bunker she had never been to as Dean explained what the Ma'lak box is. 

“Oh God,” Jo said horrified at the thought of Castiel being trapped inside the box Dean described. “Didn’t you say Jack blew it apart?” 

“Yeah but I’m sure some archangel mojo could put it back together again with no problem.” Dean said. 

They stopped in front the room the Ma'lak was stored. Sam took a deep breath as he opened the door and flipped on the overhead lights as they stepped inside to see the stand the box rested upon was bare. 

“Son of a bitch!” Dean hissed angrily as their worst fears were confirmed. Gabriel had obviously managed to put the box back together and had moved it. 

“Damnit Dean he could have him stashed anywhere inside that box.” Sam said defeatedly. 

Jo saw the sadness in each of the brother’s eyes. “I still think he’s here,” Jo murmured as she walked further into the room and studied everything inside of it. 

Dean nodded his head. “We could start a grid search.” 

“Right, grid search.” Sam agreed. 

Jo ran her hand along a shelf as something nagged at the back of her mind. “Why would he do all this just to put him in a random room that you could have stumbled across him at any time?” 

“Who the Hell knows why he does what he does.” Dean said as he swept his eyes over the room one last time before walking out of it. 

Jo and Sam exchange a look before following Dean out of the room. He looked over his shoulder at his brother. “Let’s start drawing up our grid search.” He said as he started walking back towards the map room. 

Soon him and Sam were sketching out maps of the difference levels of the bunker. Jo grabbed Sam’s laptop and watched the video of her speaking with Gabriel. She rewound and watched the part where he tried to taunt her about Dean’s relationship with Cas. 

“Sweetheart, could you please stop playing that.” Dean asked. 

Jo paused the video. “Dean I know you’re not going to like this, but I think this is the final clue.” 

Sam arched his eyebrow at what she was saying before shooting a look at his brother worriedly. 

“Can’t be a clue when what he said was bullshit.” 

“Cas is your best friend Dean.” Jo said tentatively. “You’ve been through so much together. He literally raised you from Hell. Having feelings for him is more than normal...” 

“Enough Jo,” he said in a warning tone. 

Jo stared at Dean. “You’re going to let someone you love actually continue to suffer because of your fragile male ego?” She said unable to keep the shock out of her voice. 

Dean looked at Jo and winced when he saw the look of disappointment written so clearly on her face before clearing his throat. “Sammy would you mind putting on a fresh pot of coffee.” 

“Ummm yeah, sure.” He said as he quickly got up and left the couple alone. 

Dean waited until his brother left the room. “What the Hell Jo? You believe Gabriel’s bullshit? What? You think I’m secretly in love with Cas?” 

Jo softened her features as she reached out and put her hand over his. “Being in love with someone doesn’t have to be sexual. Even if you had some fleeting thoughts about being with Cas doesn’t make you gay Dean. Just means you have a strong bond with him.” 

Dean looked over at the door to make sure Sam wasn’t there. “Jo, you know how we were raised...the kind of man our father was...” he said blushing at what he was about to admit to. 

“I do, the John in the other dimension was hardly tolerable of alternative lifestyles.” 

Dean took a shaky breath. “I told you that we lost Jack once before the showdown with Chuck.” 

Jo nodded her head. “Yes.” 

“After he died...Sammy couldn’t be there with the body and left the room. Cas was crying and I just wanted to let him know I was there and pulled him in for a hug...when we pulled apart... he was so...lost...and...the way he looked at me…like I was his last life line…and I…Jo... I....I kissed him.” He admitted to her as he ducked his head embarrassed. 

Jo watched Dean carefully and saw the shame in his eyes. “Baby, you both lost a child together... you sought comfort from each other...there’s nothing to be ashamed about...” 

Jo closed her eyes as everything clicked into place. “Jesus...shame...taboo...Dean I think I know where he’s hidden Cas.” 

Dean’s head shot up at her words and he shook his head in disbelief. “No...he wouldn’t!” 

They both got up and ran into Sam as he was walking back into the room. Dean looked at his brother and commanded, “come on!” 

The trio hurried through the corridors until they stopped in front the door to Jack’s room. Sammy gulped when he realized where they thought Gabriel had hide the box and hissed, “shit.” 

Dean took a deep breath as he reached for the door handle and turn it. The door swung open and the light from the hall filtered into the room and illuminated the 

Ma'lak box lying on the late Nephilim’s bed. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Sam slowly walked into the room as Jo turned the overhead light on. The hunter looked over his shoulder at Dean who nodded his head towards the box, indicating for Sam to lift the lid. 

Jo reached down and grabbed Dean’s hand as Sam lifted the lid. She squeezed it when they heard Sam suck in a deep breath and whispered, “Cas.” 

SPNSPNSPN 

Dean rushed forward when he saw a hand stretched up to grasp Sam’s arm. Soon the angel was standing before the brothers and Jo. 

Castiel look around the room before his eyes fell on the Ma'lak lying on Jack’ bed. He turned to Dean and hissed, “where is my brother?” 

SPNSPNSPN 

“Damnit Cas when did he shove you into that box?” Dean said as he handed the angel a bottle of water as they sat around the kitchen table. 

He had convinced Cas to take a little time to pull himself together before confronting Gabriel. 

The angel quickly drank the bottle of water before placing the empty bottle down. “The third morning after Joanna and Gabriel got here.” 

“What? Our fight, you coming to me after I prayed to you in the hospital, the nursery...that was actually all Gabriel?” Dean said angrily. 

“But why?” Jo asked. 

“Because I saw your true soul when I healed your hand.” 

“My hand...true soul...I don’t understand.” Jo said as she exchanged a quick look with Dean. 

Cas watched the way Dean moved his chair closer to Joanna and placed his hand on her back. The angel cocked his head slightly as he assessed the obvious change in their relationship. 

“I am sure my brother altered that memory.” 

“We’re pretty sure he did more than altered that one memory. We know he planted the memories from the other dimension they came through.” Dean said as leaned over to kiss Jo on her temple reassuringly. 

“Yes, I saw that too.” Cas said. 

“Cas maybe you should start at the beginning.” Sam suggested. 

“Very well. That morning Joanna sliced her hand while cutting some fruit. When I went to heal her, I saw into her soul and saw who she really is, and I saw that the memories she spoke of were false memories implanted by Gabriel.” He explained. 

Jo swallowed the lump in her throat. “You know who I am? What dimension that I was pulled from?” 

Cas stared at the women across from him. “You weren’t pulled from another dimension. This is your dimension.” 

Dean shook his head in confusion. “You mean they grabbed a woman who looked like our Jo?” 

“Oh God,” Jo said as felt her fears growing. 

“No, you misunderstand. She is Joanna Beth Harvelle.” 

“But you said she’s from this dimension and our Jo is dead.” Sam argued. 

Cas reached out and placed his hand over hers. “No Sam, our Joanna was dead.” 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm no way a Destial fan in any way but I needed something that Dean would consider taboo, shameful to do with Castiel and it had to be something that occurred in Jack's room of the bunker. Just needed to say that. Thanks again!!! Val


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of Jo's story and how she came to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos!! I appreciate them!! I hope people enjoy this next part.
> 
> Thanks, Val

Chapter 13 

Jo’s mouth dropped open at Castiel’s declaration. “No...no...no!” She cried as she pulled her hand away from the angel and staggered to her feet. 

Dean and Sam stared at Castiel in shock as Jo turned and ran out of the room. It took Dean several seconds to realize Jo had run out of the room and he got up to follow her with Sam and Cas hot on his heels. 

“Shit,” Dean said when he realized she was heading towards the room that Gabriel is in. 

He made the turn down the last hallway just in time to see Jo rushed through the door and he cursed the one-way door handles that the Men of Letters had put on the cells so that they didn’t need actual locks. 

The three opened the door to see Jo standing in front of Gabriel. “What did you and Michael do?! Did he need a vessel so bad that he pulled me from heaven!” She shouted. 

Gabriel look distraught at Jo’s accusations and shook his head. “No...I may have agreed to alter your memories, but I didn’t pull you out of heaven.” 

“Fine...then it was Michael,” Dean said as he and Sam went to stand by Jo. Castiel came into the room but made sure he stood outside of the angel trap painted on the floor. 

Gabriel rolled his eyes towards the two hunters. “Actually, this is all on you two.” 

“What the Hell are you talking about we never did anything to try and raise Jo!” Dean argued. 

“No, you just piss off Osiris who brought her forth to testify against you.” He shouted before he continued. “What neither of you realized is that when Osiris pulled a spirit to testify that those spirits were tethered to him so when Sam stab Osiris with the rams horn it severed the connection and Jo was trapped on this plain. It was then up to Death on whether to have her soul reaped again and return to heaven or to leave her here. Considering how much Death is such a fan of yours and Sam I think even you can figure out Death’s decision.” 

“No if that was true then we would have known.” Dean said as his stomach churned at the thought that Jo wasn’t allow back into heaven because of him. 

Gabriel snorted. “Please you two couldn’t put it together but the old man did.” 

“You’re lying,” Sam said as Jo sank down onto the bed in the center of the room. “If what you’re saying is true then Bobby would have told us!” 

“Maybe if she was still the Jo you knew. Not the catatonic woman they found wandering naked around the construction site where she died.” Gabriel spate. 

“You’re lying,” Sam insisted. He couldn’t believe Bobby would keep something like that from them. 

“Am I? Don’t believe me then ask your brother.” He said as he turned to Dean. “You felt her touch you before she disappeared. You even told the old man after one too many belts of whiskey that you could have sworn that you felt her touch, smelled her perfume.” 

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked over at Jo. His heart broke when he saw the sadness in her eyes and he quickly went and knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. 

“Jo, Baby,” he murmured as he rubbed her hands. 

Cas watched the couple for a few seconds before he turned on his brother. “What are you playing at Gabriel. Working with Michael...altering Joanna memories...hiding her in another dimension...bringing her here...placing me in that damn box so that I could not help her.” 

The archangel finally looked at his brother. “Me! I didn’t have a choice! Michael resurrected me and forced me to help him and if you think that box was bad, you should try being tortured by one of your brothers!” 

Jo looked up at the two angels. “Stop it! If you have any feelings for me Gabriel tell me the truth,” she begged. 

“The truth is that humans aren’t meant to come back the way you did. Your mind couldn’t cope. I will give the old man credit...once he figured out the truth and found you, he had the decency to have you moved from that state-run Hell hole they had placed you into a private hospital after setting up a trust fund for his ‘niece’. 

“But how? Her body…?” Sam asked. 

“You would have to ask Billy about that. That’s her department now.” He told them because honestly he couldn’t say since Death’s powers were comparable to their father. 

“And Bobby just left me with nobody knowing I was here?” She asked, horrified. 

“Not exactly, he trusted one person to ensure his estate was in order so that your hospital bills would be taken care of.” He admitted. 

“Who?” Dean asked, hurt that Bobby made the solo decision to keep Jo being brought back to them to himself. 

“Your sheriff friend,” Gabriel told them. 

“Jody...why would he tell Jody but not us?” Sam asked in disbelief. 

“Because it was the only way he could truly protect Jo, wasn’t it? He couldn’t chance us…me going to her, making her presents known.” Dean said as he realized that Bobby was trying to protect the young woman. 

Considering they were dealing with the Leviathan during that time and that when they took a person’s form that they also had access to that person’s memories it made sense, especially since they had taken both his and his brother’s form at one point. 

“It appears that way.” Gabriel admitted. 

“Wait, if Jody was in charge of making sure Jo was taken care of why wasn’t she alarmed when she disappeared from the hospital?” Sam asked. 

“Michael had me wipe her memories so that he could go through with his plan.” Gabriel admitted. 

“His plan?” Cas asked. 

Gabriel sighed. “He knew he was running on borrowed time and that Dean and Sam weren’t going to let him continue to walk around in Dean’s meat suit forever and figure Dean’s child 

would be the next best thing.” 

“And me?” Jo asked in a horse whisper as Dean and Sam sat down on the bed and Dean wrapped his arm around her waist as Sam placed a reassuring hand on Jo’s shoulder. 

Gabriel looked over at her sadly. “He knew the only way he could trick Dean into giving into the fantasy long enough for him to slip out of his body while having sex with a woman would be a woman that he actually had feelings for.” 

Dean took a shaky breath. “Then I really am Amelia’s father.” 

Gabriel nodded his head as he grabbed the chair Jo had sat in early and placed it in front of the three humans before sitting down and continuing. 

“At first he saw a few memories of Dean and Lisa but then he saw you Jo. When he started digging deeper into Dean’s memories, he saw that you were the one who Dean always wanted, even if he never could admit it to himself. Michael saw what Dean went through when you died. Then when he saw that Osiris had pulled you forward to testify against Dean. That you were with Dean at the time Sam drove the rams horn through Osiris and that suddenly your touch felt real to Dean before you disappeared in front of his eyes is when Michael realized you had been abandoned on earth instead of being reap by Death and allowed back into Heaven.” 

He stopped as he took a deep breath as be prepared to tell his part of the story. “Once he knew the truth it was nothing for him to find you and bring you to him. Then when he looked into your mind and saw that you had created a fantasy world around a life that you imaged sharing with Dean, he knew he would be able to trick you into believing that he was ‘your Dean’ and seduce you.” 

He shook his head sadly. “Who knew that the both of you would share such similar fantasies...it truly was like taking candy from a baby. Michael barely had to do anything to bring you both together once he snapped Jo out of her catatonic state.” 

“And how did you fit into his plan?” Cas asked. 

“Our brother pulled me out of Purgatory and made me his slave. I never thought anything could be worse than Asmodeus, but I was wrong. He needed Jo to believe her fantasies were real and I created that world for her. As I got to know Jo, I put myself into her fantasies so that she would trust me. Once you finally got a bun in her oven, Michael went back to his hybrid project. It was up to me to keep Jo in believing in the world she had created in her mind.” 

“That explains the flash of memory where I told Dean I was pregnant that he smiled and said perfect. It was because I had conceived Michael’s next vessel.” Jo said. 

“I don’t understand, if you were supposed to keep Jo’s fantasy world running smoothly how did you end up in the other dimension?” Sam asked. 

“There was one thing that Michael didn’t account for...that I would come to care about Jo. When I realized what he was planning I began organizing our escape because I would never let him do it.” 

“Do what?” Cas said, urging Gabriel to continue his story. 

Gabriel nodded his head. “He had abandoned Dean’s body by that time and he had begun having success for his hybrid monsters and he decided that he would turn Jo so that the child she carried would be a true super hybrid and would be an even better vessel for him.” 

Dean sucked in a deep breath at what Gabriel was telling them and felt Jo’s hand on his knee. He had told Jo about Michael’s super monster plan one night when they had a hard time getting Ami down, so she understood what the implications of what Michael was intending to do to her and Ami. 

“And you decided to take her to another dimension to protect her,” Dean said 

“Once I began to alter her fantasies.” 

“Alter?” She asked. 

“Oh Darling, you had created a whole life with Dean, including a daughter you both adored. It was too intricate to try and carry it over to another dimension and I started by altering your fantasy beginning with you and Dean ‘losing’ Siobhan.” 

“No.” Jo said. “She was real... I gave birth to her...my phone...my pictures.” 

“They aren’t real, I alter some photos and placed them on your phone.” Gabriel explained as Jo reached into her pocket and took out her phone. 

She quickly pulled up the photos and scrolled through them. She gasped when she got to the photos of her ‘late daughter’ and saw just random photos of different little girls. Not the blonde hair, green eyes pixie she would spend hours gazing at. The phone slipped from her shaking hands. 

“Oh Jesus,” Sam said as he looked over at Jo and saw the tears streaming down her cheeks as Dean pulled her onto his lap and consoled her. 

Gabriel watched the woman as she grieved a child that she had created in her mind and sigh sadly before he continued. 

Dean ran his hand along Jo’s back as he looked over at Gabriel. “So, what, you just brought her to some dimension and found that Dean and convinced him to pretend to be her husband.” 

“Not exactly. I needed a dimension that that Jo was dead since it would be too easy for Michael to find her if he sensed two Jo’s. I also needed it to be one where that Dean didn’t know her and have any feelings for her.” 

“Didn’t know her? You mean the other us never met Ellen and their John didn’t work with Bill?” Sam asked. 

“No, John hunted with Bill and they both knew Ellen.” He told them. 

“But John would have known her then. I was around five when he started coming to The Roadhouse.” Jo argued as she wiped at her tears. 

Gabriel gave Jo a sad smile. “You were in car accident when you were three...in that dimension that Jo didn’t survive.” 

Dean sucked in a deep breath. “Ellen told me about that accident. Said it happened when one of your neighbors picked you up from preschool with their daughter. She said you had unhooked your seatbelt a few seconds before the impact to pick up something that you had dropped.

She said that saved your life because the car that slammed into you had lead pipes that came through the car and if you were still in your seat you would have been impaled.” 

“So, when the other John met Bill and Ellen their Jo was gone and everything from that point forward changed for them didn’t it.” Sam reasoned. 

“Exactly.” Gabriel said. 

“Why did you make me believe those horrible memories?” She cried, “Why did you make me believe that I was married to a controlling man...that my mother would encourage me to just take it and accept my role as nothing more than a caregiver for everyone else?” 

Gabriel sighed. “Because that Dean kept you at arm’s length, he agreed to take care of you but there was nothing romantic between you. I could see the walls were starting to crumble but I needed you to stay with him and the only way I could was to manipulate the planted memories so that you would accept the ‘marriage’ as it was and not the loving marriage you created.” 

“But when you first got here…Jo was devoted to him.” Dean said. 

“All I can tell you is that I’ve never planted false memories with somebody before and then moved that person through portals between different dimensions. False memories I thought were purged from Jo’s mind were back again.” 

“Why did he even agree to do it? To basically be a player in her fantasy?” Dean asked. 

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. “I would like to say it was because he was noble and he just wanted to help Jo, but it was because I agreed to save somebody he loved.” 

“Of course, no matter what dimension we would make deals to save each other.” Dean said with a shake of his head. 

“Actually, this deal wasn’t for Sam or for his father. It was for the boy...for Ben.” 

“Ben?” Dean asked questioningly. 

“Stage 4 leukemia.” He told the other man. “He said he would take Jo in, pretend to be her husband and take care of her until the baby was born if I would heal the boy.” 

Dean reached down and grabbed Jo’s hand. He knew he would do anything for Ben too and the way Jo squeezed his hand he knew she understood this. 

“So basically, that Dean, Sam and John just went along with this as long as you heal Ben?” Sam asked. 

“No matter what, they did see Jo and the baby as innocents that needed their protection. You and Dean may not have bonded romantically but the three did come to care about you in their own way, especially John.” Gabriel admitted. 

Jo frowned as some actual memories began to click into place. “Dean and Sam were hunting quite a bit and John took me for all my doctor appointments. He seemed excited about the baby. He was the one to suggest the name Amelia after we found out it was a girl. He said that him and Mary had talked about that name if they ever had a little girl.” 

Gabriel sucked in a deep breath. “I believe your mind is starting to be able to distinguish between your actually memories and the ones I gave you.” 

Dean looked over at Castiel. “What about her memories from before... her real memories of her life with her parents...with Ellen...us? Can you help restore those memories?” 

“I could remove the veil and her memories would come back. Unfortunately, that would include her time after Death abandon Joanna here after being pulled from Heaven.” 

“Would I remember my time in Heaven?” She asked tentatively. 

The angels exchanged a look before Castiel nodded his head. “You will but you will also remember what you felt as you were ripped out of Heaven by Osiris.” 

Dean turned and look at Jo. “It’s your decision Sweetheart. Whatever you decide I’m right here.” He said as he lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed her hand before lowering them to rest on her lap. 

“We’re right here.” Sam said as he reached out and placed his hand on top of Jo’s and Dean’s joined hands. 

Jo looked between the two brothers and felt overwhelmed with love for this family they have formed. Slowly she turned her attention back to Castiel. “I need my real memories back, the good and the bad.” 

Gabriel looked at Jo hesitantly. “Darling, this means you would also remember the past eight years too, the time in the mental hospitals. The one Bobby put you in was fine but the state one...your fantasy world was truly formed there and with good reason. You were protecting yourself Jo.” 

Jo swallowed as she considered what Gabriel said. “I need my memories.” 

Dean nodded his head in agreement. “Then we do this, but I say we take this party upstairs.” He said, suddenly finding the angel trap room stiflingly. 

Sam looked over at his brother. “Agree...what about...” he shot a look towards Gabriel. 

“He stays in his time out for now,” Jo announced as she stood up. 

“Darling, you don’t mean that. Besides, you may need my help.” He argued. 

Dean looked over at Cas, “can you do this, or will we really need him?” 

“I do not need Gabriel’s assistances.” Castiel told Dean. 

Dean grinned at the archangel. “Guess you’re staying here. This will give you plenty of time to think about what you did and why it was wrong young man.” 

Gabriel watched as the four left the and closed the door, leaving him in the angel proof room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I completely forgot about the empty when wrote this so I had written that Michael pulled Gabriel from purgatory.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel have a little chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos on this story!! I hope you like the next part!! Thanks Val

Chapter 14

The four started towards the kitchen when Dean reached down and took Jo’s hand. “We’ll met you guys in the kitchen in a few.” He said as he gently tugged Jo down the corridor leading to their bedroom. 

As soon as he pulled her into the room, he wrapped his arms around her, needing to hold her. “Baby, I don’t know what to say.” He murmured. 

The guilt he carried all these years for her death and now to realizing because of him she was ripped out of Heaven and then abandoned here, left in some mental institution...even if Bobby got her in a decent one. Eight years of her life just wasting away...it hurt too much to think about. 

Then to be used by Michael...he just wanted to pack up Jo and Amelia and run. Sammy could make the decision if he wanted to come. He was sick and tired of everything and just wanted to be with his family. 

Jo sighed as she wrapped her arms around Dean’s neck. “It’s overwhelming.” 

“I’m sorry Jo...” he stopped when Jo reached up and put her finger over his lips and heard her soft ‘shh’. 

“I won’t have you apologize for this; you aren’t responsible for what happened...even Carthage was never your fault.” 

“Heaven...Jo you were in Heaven. That Osiris bastard pulled you out and then thanks to me and Sam you were denied re-entry into Heaven and abandoned here alone.” He said, his voice cracking. 

“Don’t go there Dean. Please don’t do this.” She begged as she leaned up and kissed him. “No matter what we’re here now and we have a beautiful daughter we made together and I’m never going to regret anything that I had to go through before Amelia was born and I won’t let you have any regrets either. They may have manipulated us for their purposes but we’re having the last laugh because we love each other and we’re a family. We may not be a conventional family but it’s a loving family none the less.” 

Dean stared at the woman in front of him and thought again how she amazed him. “Yes Mam, no regrets,” he said as he stroked her cheek. 

Jo smiled as she nodded her head. “Good and no blaming yourself either for things that were out of your control.” She commanded as she kissed him again. 

Dean sighed, “that I can’t promise but I’ll try.” 

“Okay, I’ll take that.” She murmured. 

Taking a deep breath, he reached down and entwined his hand with hers. “I guess we should join Sam and Cas.” 

“Right,” she agreed as rested her head on his shoulder. Jo moaned softly when Dean wrapped his arms around her and gently rubbed her back. 

The hunter pulled back and looked down into Jo’s face and groaned at the way she looked up at him and he could see the desire in her eyes. “Oh Hell, they’re not going anywhere.” He said as he captured Jo’s lip in a searing kiss as he danced her back towards their bed. 

SPNSPNSPN 

Sam and Cas looked up as the couple finally joined them. Sam’s smart-ass remark about what took them so long died on his lips when saw the blush on Jo’s cheeks. 

Instead he rolled his eyes when Dean gave him a grin and turned his attention towards Jo as she looked at Cas and asked, “are you ready?” 

“There’s no reason to rush this.” Dean said as he looked at his watch. “I don’t know about anyone else but I’m getting hungry.” 

Sam stared at his brother. “Seriously Dean?” 

Jo looked over at Sam and said. “Actually, I could eat.” 

“Too bad you gave away all our food.” Dean teased. 

“Fine I’ll make a food run, what do you want?” She said. 

“Some of the Colonel’s finest.” He said with grin. He looked over at his brother. “Sammy will go with you.” 

Jo nodded her head; she knew Dean needed some time to speak privately with Castiel. She turned her face towards him and whispered, “I love you,” before kissing him. 

Dean smiled as he mated his forehead to hers. “I love you too,” he murmured before kissing her again. 

Jo reached up and stroked his cheek, giving him a reassuring smile. “Come on Sammy, you can drive.” 

Sam saw the way Dean looked towards Cas and realized that his brother wanted to speak to their friend. 

“Sure, let’s go get some food before Dean wastes away to nothing.” He said with a grin. 

Dean watched as Jo and Sam headed out before turning his attention back to his best friend and saw the way Castiel was looking at him. 

“You and Joanna have become intimate?” He asked. 

“Ummm you could say that.” Dean said as he gestured towards the table for them to sit down. 

“I would say that since you both declared your love for each other quite easily.” 

Dean blushed slightly. “Look Cas, I owe you an apology. What I said to you after Rowena died...I was out of line. I took my anger out on you. I know how bad my anger is and I’m trying to learn how to control it better. I know how toxic I can be and I’m tired of carrying all that anger.” 

Cas nodded his head. “You are trying to be a good father for Amelia.” 

“I am and I want to be the man Jo deserves too, starting with not keeping secrets and that is something I need to speak to you about.” Dean said 

Castiel cocked his head at Dean in confusion. “Secrets?” 

Dean sighed as he explained to Castiel about Gabriel ‘scavenger hunt’ clues and that he had told Jo about the kiss they had shared after they lost Jack. At how he felt shamed for kissing the angel. 

Castiel smiled at the hunter. “Dean, are you afraid that I’m in love with you?” 

Dean blushed as he looked at the angel. “Ummm I think that’s the issue... I’m not sure and ummm I guess I don’t want to....ummm you know…hurt you.” 

“Well I’m hurt that you think what you did was something to be ashamed of. We were grieving.” 

“Because Cas, I’m not gay...” 

“You’re the one putting a title to it. I never thought of it as something more between us. We were both in pain and it’s natural we would seek comfort from each other but if you need reassurance I am not in love with you Dean. Also, that kiss did not bring me anywhere near the pleasure I felt when I kissed Meg…she did this thing with her tongue…” 

“Then we’re cool!” Dean shouted quickly as he stood up and slapped Castiel on the back. He really didn’t want to know what that Meg did with her tongue. 

“No Dean we are not ‘cool’. We have a way to go before we are ‘cool’ again.” 

“You just said...” 

“I’m talking about us, how you have been punishing me since Mary’s death. What you convinced Sam to do to our son.” He said. “That Dean is what I am speaking about.” 

Dean nodded his head in understanding. “I understand. You need time.” 

Cas looked at the hunter. “We need time...you, Sam and I need to get past our problems, or we will never defeat Chuck.” 

Dean knew Cas had a point. “You’re right and maybe the three of us need to have a pow wow.” 

“I believe it would be beneficial.” The angel agreed. 

“Right but Jo’s memories have to come first. Eight years Cas, she was robbed eight years of her life.” 

“Yes, Joanna deserves her real memories back.” 

“Also, the sooner we do that and finish dealing with Gabriel then we can bring Amelia home.” Dean explained. 

At the mention of the infant Cas gave his friend a genuine smile. “I look forward to meeting the newest Winchester.” 

Dean grinned as he pulled out his phone and began showing the angel pictures of his daughter. He watched as Castiel scrolled through the photos. “Cas, I want to tell you that Jo and I plan on telling Ami all about her big brother...about Jack.” 

The other man looked at Dean, clearly surprised by the declaration. “I... I think Jack would have liked having a baby sister.” 

“I think so to.” He agreed as he put his phone away. Looking down at his watch he sighed. “They’ll be back soon. I need to know...what are we about to walk into? 

Castiel took a deep breath. “Her time in Heaven will give her joy...she had chosen a time in her life when she was six years old and she was on picnic in the park with her parents and her father playing with her.” 

Dean smiled sadly. “Good, I’m glad she will have that.” 

“Unfortunately, Dean that will only give her a few moments of joy. She then remembered what it felt like being pulled out of Heaven. She will remember the moment she realized she was truly alive again. She will remember everything that happened to her after she woke up in that construction site and I am sorry to say that Gabriel is correct. The first hospital she was placed in was cruel. She endured electric shock therapy, freezing ice baths and sadly abusive orderlies.” 

Dean jaw clenched as his hands balled into fists. “Was she raped?” He had heard enough stories about state run mental hospitals to know that wasn’t uncommon. 

Castiel quickly shook his head. “No, Bobby got her out of there before that happened to her. But they were physical with her to keep her in line when they felt she was not cooperating.” 

“Fucking bastards,” Dean hissed as he grabbed his abandoned coffee mug from earlier and flung it across the room and winced when it connected with the wall and shattered. 

“I see you have a way to go with the anger control.” Castiel said as Dean got up and began cleaning up the mess. 

Dean shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, still working on it,” he admitted. 

Cas watched as Dean tossed the pieces of ceramic into the trash bin. “Dean, what Joanna is about to go through will not be pleasant, but we will all be here for her.” He told the hunter. 

Dean’s shoulders sagged. “I know...I know.” 

The angel watched his friend. “There is something else on your mind?” 

“It’s Gabriel...when he had you locked up; I don’t get why he behaved the way he did.” 

“How so?” Castiel asked as the other man joined him at the table again. Dean quickly filled the angel in on when Jo gave birth and how Gabriel’s made up a version Castiel, a version that had told him that Jo and he were always meant for each other...that they were each other destiny and that them together could help stop Chuck. 

“He planted these thoughts in our heads...I don’t get why he did it. Why did he want me and Jo together?” 

Castiel consider what Dean said for a few moments. “I believe he knew Joanna’s devotion to the Dean he had imprinted on her was fading quickly and her true feelings for you were bubbling below the surface...by telling you both that you are each other’s destiny it was giving Joanna the permission she would need to give herself to move on. No matter what Joanna has a strong moral compass.” 

“Yeah but why would he care about us getting together?” 

“You will not like it.” The angel said as he looked down at his hands. 

Dean sighed. “He really does care about her, doesn’t he?” 

“I believe Gabriel loves Joanna. I believe he feels guilt for his part as well as anger at what she has endured. He wants her to be happy and he knows you make her happy and I believe that is why he encourage you both.” 

“Great now Gabriel can add matchmaker to his résumé. Could our lives get any weirder?” Dean quipped with a roll of his eyes. “What about the stuff he said about Chuck? Think there’s anything to that?” 

“I do not believe Chuck has followed what happened to Joanna since she was brought forward to testify against you since he obviously only saw Joanna as a minor character in your story. He would not consider her a threat to his plans for you and Sam. He always counts on you and Sam’s devotion to each only. He would not expect you to open your heart to another as completely as you have with Joanna. That is a mistake. Your feelings for Joanna makes you stronger and that may throw Chuck off.” 

“Not just me, she makes us stronger...me and Sammy. Jo and Ami give both of us focus that I can’t explain.” Dean said. 

Castiel cocked his head slightly at this declaration since Dean included Sam’s relationship with Joanna as being equally important. He looked up when the two in question walked into the room carrying the takeout. 

Dean smiled as he met Jo halfway and dropped a kiss on her lips before taking the bucket of chicken from her. His smile quickly disappeared when he pulled the cover off the bucket and looked inside. “Where the Hell is my chicken!” 

Jo looked into the bucket before looking up at Dean. “There’s 20 pieces of chicken in there.” 

“This...this abomination is not the Colonel’s finest...where’s the golden-brown skin with all the flavor.” He cried 

“Skinless is better for you. All that fat isn’t good for your heart.” Jo said as she scooted by to grab plates, silverware and napkins as Sammy put the rest of the takeout on the table. 

Dean stared at Jo before turning and shaking an accusatory finger at his brother. “You put her up to this...it has your hippy dippy emo stink all over it!” 

Sam’s mouth dropped open. “No, it wasn’t!” The younger Winchester argued. “It’s not my fault she loves you and wants you to live a long life.” 

Dean looked over at Jo who gave him serene smile. “Fine.” He huffed before turning back to his brother. “See this is why I hate being so damn lovable.” 

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother, “Oh yeah just sucks being you.” 

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel lowers the veil that Jo's memories are behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback and Kudos!! I hope people enjoy this next part. Thanks Val

Chapter 15 

Jo sighed as Dean rubbed her neck as they sat around the table. 

“Okay, I’m man enough to admit it...that chicken wasn’t half bad.” He announce. 

Jo smiled as she lean over and kissed Dean’s cheek. “See, I told you healthy can taste good...now why not give kale chips a try.” 

Dean shook his head. “Not if there was a zombie apocalypse and that was the last food on earth... I rather be a zombie snack.” 

“On that note,” Jo looked over to Castiel. “So how do we do this?” She asked not missing the look between the angel and Dean. 

“We should go somewhere soothing...someplace you will be comfortable.” Castiel said as he gave Jo a tentative smile. 

“How about the family room?” She suggested. 

“Family room?” Cas repeated questioningly. 

Sam snorted in amusement. “The old Dean Cave...Jo made some improvements.” 

SPNSPNSPN 

The four made their way to the room in question and Castiel looked around and had to smile at the improvements that Sam spoke about. 

Yes, the leather recliners and large screen television were still there but instead of the usual gray concrete walls they had put up drywall and the room was now painted a lovely shade of yellow to make the room light and cheery. 

He also took in the new large sofa and rocking chair that had been added to the room as well as what he assumed was an electrical fireplace that was sitting below the mounted television. There were a few end tables and a number of frame pictures on the tables and mantle. 

The biggest change was that off to the side of the room seemed to have been set up as a play area for Amelia. The floor in that area was covered with some kind of colorful foam oversized puzzle pieces with a playpen sitting on top and numerous stuff animals sitting inside waiting to be played with. 

The object that really caught his eyes was the ‘windows’ that overlooked the play area. “That does not look like the surrounding areas of the bunker.” He said as he went over to look out the window. 

Dean laughed, “it’s a giant decal...just wanted the room to be homey for Ami.” 

Cas touched the decal, studying it and found himself smiling. With everything going on the Winchester found themselves embracing a new chapter of their lives and he could see how happy both men were thanks to the woman and child that had been brought into their lives. 

He turned and looked at the other three. “This room is perfect, and I see why you call it the family room.” 

Dean wrapped his arm around Jo’s waist. “Sweetheart are you sure about this?” 

“I am.” She reassured him knowing that he must have spoken to the angel about what they were about to do. 

Sam cleared his throat. “So how should we do this?” 

Castiel looked at Jo and Dean. “Both of you should sit on the couch. That way if Joanna becomes dizzy or lightheaded, she will not be in danger of falling and hurting herself.” 

The couple walked over and sat down. Cas wasn’t surprised when Jo held her hand out towards Sam or the way the younger brother smiled and took her hand before joining them on the sofa. 

Dean was right, she did make them stronger. The brothers always had a bond that few understood but it seemed Jo not only understood it...she embraced it. Which seem to allow the brothers to extend that bond to Jo. 

Castiel knelt in front of Jo and smiled. “I will touch your temples and lower the veil that your true memories are behind. Be prepared that they will come immediately, and it will take time for you to filter them properly and to determine between your real memories and the planted memories.” 

Jo sucked in a deep breath and nodded her head. “Okay...will it hurt?” 

“Physically you will feel like you are having severe migraine. Once that begins to subside your mind will begin to put your memories in order.” 

“Jo, we’re right here.” Dean told her reassuringly as he squeezed the hand that he was holding. 

“I know,” she said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly she opened her eyes and smiled at Cas. “I’m ready.” 

Dean and Sam watched as Castiel lifted his hands and gently touched Jo’s temples and they saw the familiar white glow emitting from his fingertips. 

As quickly as it started it was over and Cas grabbed onto the arm of the sofa to stop himself from falling over. 

“Cas?” Sam said as he stood up and studied his friend. 

“I am fine.” He told the hunter as he stood up on shaky legs. They both turned their attention back towards Jo when they heard her crying in pain. 

“Jo,” Dean murmured as he pulled the crying woman onto his lap and cradle her close as he rubbed her back. 

“AHHH!” she cried at the brightness of the light, turning to try and hid her face in Dean’s chest to protect her eyes. “Oh God! The lights, it’s blinding me!” 

Dean looked over at his brother. “Sam, turn the overhead lights off and just put on the lamp on the table in the corner.” 

“Right,” He went over and turned on the lamp in the corner before turning the overhead lights off before he helped Cas into the rocking chair. “I’ll get you a water,” Sam offered as he went over to the small fridge in the corner of the room and pulled out two waters. 

He quickly opened a bottle and handed it to Cas before sitting back down and opening the other bottle. “Jo, here, take a sip.” He said as he held the bottle up to the woman. 

He handed the bottle to his brother when the woman didn’t lift her head from Dean’s chest. “Come on Baby, take a sip.” The elder Winchester urged as the woman took a few sips. 

“Cas, can’t you do anything to help her?” He asked as he gently kissed Jo’s temple. 

The angel shook his head as he watched Jo sobbed as she clung to Dean mumbling incoherently before her final scream of pain and she passed out.

“Jo!” Dean said anxiously. 

“No Dean do not try to wake her. Her mind needs time to rest. Be prepared that when she wakes up that her memories will be jumbled still. They will eventually be intact but not immediately.” 

“How long will it take?” Dean asked as he gently laid her down. 

Cas shook his head as he looked at the hunter. “You cannot rush this Dean. You will need to be patient. Gabriel alter her memories going back to when she was sixteen years old but there is no way to know how far back she will remember. She will have her true memories and the planted memories to go through.” 

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he nodded his head sadly. “Right, patient. I can do that.” He said as he knelt beside Jo and caressed her cheek. 

He looked up when he felt his brother’s hand on his shoulder. “She’s strong Dean, she can handle this.” 

“Damn straight she’s strong,” Dean agreed as he mated his forehead to her. “We’re here Baby. Me, Sammy and Cas are right here. You’re not alone, you’ll never be alone again.” He told her, praying she could hear him. 

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo relieves her memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos. Scenes in Italic are flashes of memories that Jo are seeing. I hope people enjoy this next chapter. Thank you and enjoy, Val

Chapter 16 

Dean looked at Jo, worry etched on his face as he watched the woman he love eyes moving quickly, almost violently under her closed eyelids. “Cas, what’s happening?” 

“Her memories are returning. Think of it like a video playing in her head of snapshots from her life. This will include her death, her return and everything that has happened the past eight years. The real memories and the planted ones. She would never be able to handle them hitting her if she were conscious, but she is in a deep sleep and these memories are quickly sliding into her sub-conscious and there she will be able to filter them properly.” He explained. 

“And when she wakes up?” Sam asked as he looked down at Jo. 

“You both should be prepared that she will be overwhelmed. These memories will be intense. It will be like a raw nerve.” 

Sam shared a look with Dean as the older hunter sucked in a deep breath. “Jesus, she’s not just remembering these memories is she? She’s reliving them…she’s going to relive the most painful times of her life isn’t she? Her father’s death, Duluth…Carthage…Osiris…the mental hospitals…all of it isn’t she.” 

“Yes, unfortunately she will.” Castiel said sadly as he turned his attention back to Joanna. 

SPNSPNSPNSPN 

Jo looked around the room she was in. The Roadhouse, she’s in the Roadhouse. A sound caught her attention and she turned quickly to see herself…she looked to be about 5 or 6 and she couldn’t help smiling at the scene in front of her. 

_Jo hummed happily as she munched on her French fries as she sat on her Uncle John’s lap while him and Daddy talked. She loved her Uncle John; he always made her feel special. He would tell her she would always his special girl._

Suddenly she saw herself a little older bouncing excitedly. 

_Jo grinned when she opened her Daddy’s present. He gave her a bow and arrow set. She turned when she heard her Uncle John laugh and said she’ll make a fine hunter someday._

Jo smiled as she found herself behind The Roadhouse and saw a younger version of herself practicing using her gift. She remembered how proud she felt at the older hunter’s words. 

_“Look at you Sweetheart, 10 out of 10 bullseyes. I don’t know Bill; we may need to start taking her with us soon.” Her Uncle John said to her Daddy as he scooped her up in his arms and swung her around._

She shook her head sadly, why did she have to remember this? 

_Jo stood and watched her mother sobbing as her Uncle John said over and over he was sorry. Jo shook her head as her Uncle John knelt before her and said her Daddy wanted her to have his knife._

Memories kept flashing before her. School…the Roadhouse…her and her Mom together shopping…watching TV together…sitting down to dinner…oh God the arguments...the two of them were so alike that all they did was butt heads. 

  
She watched as she saw herself laying on the ground…her first hunt with Gordon. 

_Jo swallowed as she pretended to be unconscious and heard the Rawhead. Where was Gordon? Why hadn’t he acted yet? Jo’s eyes flew open and saw how close it was to her and that Gordon was letting it happen._

_She scrambled to her feet and took off. She wanted to hunt but she wasn’t ready to die. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she heard the monster coming after her. She looked up and_ _smiled when she saw her Mom running right towards her. “Get down!” Her mother screamed as she shot the Rawhead._

More memories after that hunt. Her mother tightened her reigns on her and forced her to go to college. She had tried but she didn’t belong…why couldn’t her mother understand this. 

_She stood as her mother lectured her about dropping out of college. Why couldn’t she understand she didn’t belong there. She belongs here, at the Roadhouse. Learning from the other hunters. She had made her mind up, this is what she was meant for, to be a hunter like her Daddy._

She gasped as she saw him…Rick…her Rick. They were so good together. He was her first love. She thought they would be together forever. 

_Jo sighed as she snuggled against Rick. She wished she hadn’t lost her virginity to Tom Greenwood; she wish it were Rick. Her Rick, he was so good to her and he wanted her to start hunting with him. He agreed to speak to her mother the next time he came to the Roadhouse._

Tears ran down her cheeks…she hated this…remembering the moment she knew he was gone. 

_Rick was gone. He was died, she knew it and sobbed as she clung to a shirt he left in her room. Is this what Mom felt when Daddy died. God the pain was unbearable._

She watched as she slowly picked up the pieces. Learning from other hunters. Watching herself working at the Roadhouse and a slow smile crossed her face as she watched as she held the shotgun to his back. 

_Cocky bastard thought he was going to teach her a lesson. Jo hauled back and punched him in the nose and grabbed the gun back. She smirked when she heard him call for his partner and say he couldn’t see anything._

She rolled her eyes, slightly embarrassed as she watched her younger self seductively moved her hips, knowing that he was watching her as she walked and admiring her ass. 

_She smiled at the way Dean was looking at her. A piece of her heart clenched as she thought of Rick but Dean…Dean looked like he could be fun and what the Hell she was young and should be able to have fun still._

She stood still as she watched…this was the beginning when everything truly changed for her. 

_Jo was tired of fighting with her Mom. Why couldn’t she accept she wasn’t a child. She be damned if she give her hunt to the Winchesters this was her case._

She felt dizzy as she suddenly saw herself in that apartment building in Philadelphia.

_Jo breathing was shallow as her and Dean made their way through the walls of the building. She tries to hide her smirk as she squeezed past Dean and heard him mumbling about wishing he had cleaned the pipes._

Oh God…that box that Holmes kept her in. 

_She was trapped and that evil spirit had just ripped a chuck of her hair out._

Great another memory of letting herself being used as bait. 

_She was acting as bait again…she hated how her heart was racing in her chest while she waited for the spirit. She closed her eyes when she heard him coming up behind her. “Now!” She heard Dean cry as she dove forward. She heard the gunfire as the salt ring fell around Holmes and his screams of agony._

She laughed as she watched her and Sammy standing together. 

_She couldn’t help smirking when she saw Dean drive up in the cement truck and they sealed that bastard away._

She closed her eyes as she watched them all pull into the Roadhouse. 

_That was the most uncomfortable car ride in history. She winced when her mother told them to stay outside._

_No not her Uncle John! He loved her; she was his special girl, but it made sense. It’s why he stopped coming around. Her heart broke as her mother looked at her she shook her head as she stormed away from her mother, through the doors of the Roadhouse._

Her heart ached at what she watched herself deliberately hurt Dean. She took her anger out on Dean. She didn’t care, she was hurting, and she wanted somebody else to hurt as much as her. She hated herself for that, it was cruel. He hadn’t done anything to her, and John’s death was still so raw for him. The crestfallen look on his face dealt by her was burned in her memory as she said those faithful few sentences. 

_“Dean. It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone; this guy did too, but... I guess my father figured he could trust him. Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed.”_

_“What does this have to do with…”_

_“It was your father, Dean.”_

_“What?”_

_“Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Because he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that, that's why.”_

_“Jo…”_

_“Just... just get out of here. Please, just leave.”_

Jo watched herself as she tearfully put her clothes into a duffle bag. 

_She took off like a thief in the night. She sent her mother some postcards to let he know she was alright, but she wouldn’t go home. She couldn’t. She needed to live her life._

She gulped as she watched him walk into the bar she was working at and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to re-experience this moment. 

_Sam…it wasn’t him. Something in her gut told her that. She screamed at the part of her mind that wasn’t thinking clearly and she was ashamed when she let her panic take over. She feared that she was in danger of being raped and made her tactical error._

She still hated herself for letting Sam get the best of her and watched as he taunted her hatefully. 

  
_“My Daddy shot your Daddy in the head,” he singsong in her ear._

She watched herself as she made her way through the dock area as she kept calling Dean’s cellphone. At the way she sighed in relief when she heard the ringtone and ran towards him and helped him back to her place to take care of him. 

_“I know demons lie, but ... do they ever tell the truth too?” She asked as she finish patching Dean up._

_Jo saw the way he looked at her as he said, “Uh, um, yeah, sometimes, I guess. Especially if they know it'll mess with your head. Why do you ask?”_

_She shook her head, “ Nothing. Doesn't matter.”_

_She watched as Dean caught the meds she tossed to him. She nodded her head when he said he would call her and waited until he closed the door before she murmured. “No, you won’t.”_

She remembered the moment of clarity she had at that moment and watched herself making the life changing decision. 

_She had been dismissed again and decide it was for the last time. She didn’t need her mom’s permission or the Winchesters help. She was going to be a hunter and she knew where she needed to go._

She smiled as she saw him finally. Her second father. 

_“Rufus, you’re a bastard!” She huffed as he made her do thirty more reps._

_“You’ll thank me later Baby Girl.” He told her as he tipped the bottle of Johnnie Walker._

_“Yeah, yeah.” She panted._

She laughed as she saw their first real hunt together. 

_Jo grinned as the flare lit up the wendigo and heard Rufus laugh from his spot on the ground. “Well Old Man?”_

_“Good work Baby Girl,” the older hunter said as he accepted the hand she held out for him and she went willingly into his bear hug._

Her heart swelled as she watched her and Rufus working together. 

_“DUCK!” Jo cried as she swung her machete and severed the vampire’s head from his body._

_Rufus looked down at the now decapitated vamp and grinned at Jo. “Well that’s one less vamp nest in the world. Come of Baby Girl, you earned yourself a beer.”_

_“I earned a six pack Old Man.” She said with a grin as he slung his arm over her shoulder._

She shook her head as she watched the moment her life seemed to end. Ash…her brother…he was gone. 

_Jo dropped to her knees as she sobbed. The Roadhouse was gone, Ash was dead, and Bobby told her that her mother was presumed dead. Fucking Winchesters. Their shit was raining down on them and Dean didn’t have the fucking decency to speak to her when she told Bobby to put him on the phone. His focus was on Sammy and screw everyone else. Same old song and dance._

She choked out a laughing sob as she watched the moment she realized her Mom was alright. 

_Jo felt lightheaded as she heard her mother’s ringtone. Ellen Harvelle was alive and was going to help the Winchesters as the Gates of Hell were in danger of opening and she was going to help keep them closed._

_“All hands-on deck Joanna Beth.” Her Mom said and Jo actually swallowed the lump in her throat as she said no._

_“I’m not ready Mom. I would put you or the others in danger because I would be a distraction. No…I need to stay away. You all have a better shot without me. Rufus and I will prepare the other hunters if you can’t stop it.”_

_She heard her mother taking in a deep breath and smiled when the older woman asked, “who are you and what have you done with my daughter. Oh Jo, Baby. You really are growing up.”_

_“Get used to it Mom. I love you…take care and kick ass.”_

_“Always do Baby.” Ellen said as they hang up._

_Rufus looked at Jo an as he took her hands in his. “A good hunter has no fears, but a great hunter acknowledges their limitations, so they don’t endanger other hunters.”_

_“If they can’t stop this Rufus?” she asked as she looked at the older hunter._

_“Then we take one demon at a time Baby Girl.” He reassured her as she began making a list of the hunters they needed to reach out to._

She watched as memories of when her Mom and her began hunting together. She swallowed several times as she remembered the beginning of the end for her and her Mom. 

_She smiled as her and her Mom took out the shapeshifter. They had become closer since they started hunting together. Jo reached into her pocket when she phone started to vibrate. “Hey Old Man…River Pass Colorado…yeah, yeah…got it. Me and Mom are on our way.”_

_The Horsemen…they were up against a Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The bastard made each of them to think the other was possessed…she had thought her mother was possessed and her mother had thought the same about her._

_Once they were freed they all gathered as they went to leave town. She was shocked when Dean grabbed her and pulled her aside. “This shit is happening Jo.”_

_“Yeah, no kidding.” She quipped._

_He looked over his shoulder at Ellen and pulled Jo into a tight hug. “Can we count on you Harvelle?”_

_“I should knee you in the nuts for even asking me that. You know I’m all in.” She told him as she returned his hug._

_Dean laughed as he leaned back and looked into her eyes. She saw it…the look he was giving her and when he began to lower his face to hers she pushed him away. “My Mom’s waiting. Call me if you need back up.” She told him as she hurried away. She nodded at Sam as she joined her mother in their car._

She groaned as she watched herself walking up the driveway in that slutty dress. 

_Here she was being bait again, this time in a slutty dress and spiked heels. Playing the damsel in distress. She could image Rufus telling her suck it up and do the job. She made a mental note to call the older hunter, she missed her mentor…her friend…her second father._

_She groaned when Dean walked her back to her car. “You clean up real nice Sweetheart,” he purred as he let his eyes linger on her breasts longer than she liked._

_“Blow it out your ass Winchester, we don’t have time for this. See you back at Bobby’s.” She said as she climbed into her car._

She giggled as she watched her Mom and Castiel doing shots. God she loved her Mom so much. She rolled her eyes as she watched the way Dean stared at her ass. 

_Oh, she never imagined how much fun it would be to watch her mother doing shots with an angel would be. She looked up when she felt his eyes on her and sighed. She wasn’t a fool and she wasn’t going to be another notch in his dashboard, even if it ended up being her last night on earth._

_He made his move while she was grabbing a beer, getting into her personal space. “No. Sweetheart, if this is our last night on earth, then I'm going to spend it with a little thing I call self-respect.” She told him as she pulled back and walked away._

She gulped as watched them all in Carthage. 

_Jo stood by her mother as they watched Castiel, multiple Reapers. What the Hell have they walked into. She looked over at the angel when he told them. “They only gather like this at times of great catastrophe. Chicago Fire, San Francisco Quake, Pompeii. Excuse me, I need to find out why they're here.” She wanted to shout at him not to leave them, but the words didn’t come._

_“DEAN!” She shouted as she went back for fallen comrade, she got one of the Hell Hounds that Meg had unleashed on them but got attacked from the side and screamed when its claws ripped into her._

_She wasn’t going to make it. She was going to die in some crappy hardware store. She couldn’t stand listening to them; it was pointless, and she had to get them to accept it. “Can we, uh, be realistic about this, please? Uh! I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta—we gotta get our priorities straight here. Number one, I'm not going anywhere._

_Her mother looked at her, tears in her eyes. “ Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that.”_

_Jo gave her more a small sad smile. “ Mom. I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something. We got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails, everything we need.”_

_Sam looked at her, his brain couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. “ Everything we need?”_

_Jo looked at the younger Winchester and said, “To build a bomb, Sam.”_

_She looked up at Dean as he handed her the detonator. She gasped as she looked into his eyes. He loved; she could see it. He loved her and she had pushed him away because of her pride. She let out a faint laugh and closed her eyes when he pressed a kissed to her forehead before he leaned down and finally kissed her._

_She savored the kiss and when they pulled apart they both looked into each other’s eyes. She shook her head ever so slightly and mouthed, ‘don’t’. She couldn’t bare it. They couldn’t declare their feelings for each other…not now. Why torture themselves? She was grateful when her mother joined them._

_Oh God, her Mom was staying with her. She tried to tell her no. She saw the sadness on Dean and Sam faces. Her and her mother were going to die tonight. The last thought she had was how much she loved her mother and how thankful she was that she stayed with her._

She sighed. Heaven, they were in Heaven and she was with her Daddy again. 

_“Daddy higher,” Jo screeched happily._

_Bill laughed as he pushed his daughter on the swing while Ellen laughed at their antics. He pushed her again and Jo felt like she was flying. She was going up higher and higher._

Her head spun as she watched her younger self suddenly go from being in the swing to her adult self. 

_The sunlight blinded her and then suddenly she was sitting in a hard wood chair next to an Egyptian God._

_He tried to trick her into damning Dean, but she wouldn’t say what he wanted. He still declared Dean guilty and now here she was during his dirty work. It broke her heart at how Dean felt that what she was about to do he deserved._

_The room was filling with gas and closed her eyes as Osiris forces her to use her powers to shatter the windows so the wind could break the salt ring. She looked up at Dean and said sadly, “he's making me do this.” She shook her head slightly when Dean told her ‘it’s okay’ as she reached into his coat pocket for his lighter._

_She can feel it. Her heart was beating…her blood was pumping. He’s gone, Osiris was gone. She sighed as her hand reached up and stroked Dean’s cheek._

She watched as she was whisked away. She frowned. This is what happened to her after Death abandon her here on earth instead of reaping her soul again and allowing her back into Heaven. 

_She woke up gasping for breath. Where was she? She looked around shell shocked. She stood and stumbled over the beams and pipes lying around her. She winced as she stepped on a nail and she realized that she was naked. She grabbed a blue tarp and pulled it around herself for modesty purposes as she made her way out of the building into the blinding sunlight and collapsed._

Jo watched as the ambulance drivers pushed her up to the admittance desk at the hospital. 

_“She was found naked at the construction site for the old hardware store.” She heard the ambulance driver told the administration nurse at the state-run mental hospital. “Said she never spoke a single word in the month she was there. No hits on her in missing person either. Shame, pretty girl like this…you think somebody would be missing her.”_

Jo whimpered…she knew her…the nurse in this memory. 

_The nurse pushed her down the corridor towards the room she was assigned too. She leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You are a pretty little thing…I think we will have fun with you.”_

She didn’t try to stop her tears as she watched the humiliation those bastards but her through at the first mental hospital. 

_Jo bucked and screamed as she was stripped naked by the two male orderlies while the nurse she heard them call Potter supervised them. “Stop the fighting Jane or you know what they will have to do to you,” she said as stood before the nude shaking woman. “You need to be bath, you’re disgusting.” With a nod of her head the two orderlies lifted her and put her in the ice bath._

_She fought desperately to get out of the tub only to feel the taller of the two men put his hand on her head and forced her under the water. Her arms and legs flailed as she fought for air. He wrapped his fingers around her hair roughly pulled her head above the water._

_She whimpered as the rough wire bristles scrubbed her back and buttocks. Tears silently slid down her cheeks as Potter continued to scrub her, telling her she was a filthy creature._

She watched as that bitch Potter taunted her…abused her. 

_Jo stared at the reflection of herself in the mirror as Potter grabbed chunks of her hair and hacked it off with the dull scissors. “Sorry Sweetie but can’t take the chance of you getting lice now can we.” She hissed in her ear. “Such a shame too…you really do have pretty hair.”_

Jo remembered the screams. She hated them…she just wanted them to stop. She had to get away from them and there was only one way to get away from them. 

_She closed her eyes as the patient in the next room continued to scream. She smiled as he walked into her room and looked at her. She knew him…knew those green eyes. He loved her…he would rescue her._

Jo gulped as she watched herself fighting the orderlies before the electric shock treatment. She watched as her eyes glazed over before closing. This was it…this was when she retreated into her mind and saw flashes of the world she created. 

_She shook her head as the leather belt was put in her mouth. She could see the electrodes being brought to her heads._

_Her eyes slid shut and she smile as he walked up and pulled her into his arms. “I’ve missed you Sweetheart.”_

_“Boy, keep your hands to yourself.” The older woman said as she slapped him in the back of the head making her laugh. “You think that’s funny, huh.” He teased as he began tickling her sides._

_She laughed as he spun her around. Silly man…of course she would marry him._

_“We are never having sex again she shouted at she was hit with another contraction, causing the nurses and doctor to chuckle. “Okay, we’re at 10 centimeters, it’s time we start pushing.” She heard her doctor say._

_“She’s amazing,” She murmured as she looked at her baby girl._

_He smiled as he looked down at the infant. “What do you think of the name Siobhan?”_

Jo watched as Bobby stood before her. Jo frowned as she realized that she had known him when she saw him…she knew his name…they were coming back to her…their names…Bobby…her Mom…Rufus…Sammy and Dean… oh this is when she really began to put the pieces together…she could see it.. She could see that she wanted to call out, but she didn’t know how. She just stared directly ahead. 

_She stared at the grizzly older man as he knelt before her. “Oh God Jo, what have they done to you.”_

Jo watched as Bobby pushed nurse Potter against the wall. 

_“If you were a man, I’d rip you apart! Now get out of my way! She’s not staying here another second!”_

“Oh Bobby,” Jo murmured as she watched the older hunter as he sat with her at the new hospital he had her transferred to. He loved her and did what he thought was best. 

_“I’m sorry Jo. I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.” He murmured as he brushed a hand across her cheek. “I’m sorry but this place is safe. They’ll take good care of you here. When we’re done with these Leviathans I’ll come and get you. Bring you back home. Help you through this. But for your sake, you need to stay here for now and I can’t tell the boys…not yet. You know Dean, he would insist we bring you home now, but I can’t. I owe you Mama and Rufus too much to put you in harm’s way when you can’t even defend yourself, but I promise, we will come back for you.”_

She remembered vaguely when they told her…her last hope was gone. 

_“Joanna,” the young nurse said as she sat down across from her and took her hands in hers. “Oh Honey, I’m so sorry but we just heard…your Uncle Bobby has passed away.”_

She shook her head as she watched herself slip deeper into her fantasy world. 

_Jo grinned as Dean changed their daughter's diaper. Who knew he could be so gentle?_

_Jo moaned as Dean kissed her neck as his wrapped around her middle. "No sex mister, you heard the doctor...no sex for six weeks."_

_"Because Dean, I want Siobhan to have a real first Christmas and that means a tree, wreath, tacky snowmen and penguin decorations...the whole nine yards." She said with a laugh as her husband fought with a set of tangled Christmas lights._

_"Camping...you want to go camping?" Jo asked as Dean tossed Siobhan in the air._

_"Can you think of a better family trip. You, me and Siobhan all alone without anyone else." He said with a grin that she couldn’t help but return._

Oh God…so many years had passed. She was older but still a shell of herself. She watched as the two nurses who were always so kind to her worriedly helped her get dress. 

_The nurses look over at Jo with concern. "Husband. I don't believe it. How could he have left her here all this time."_

_"Look at him, he seems more interest in his clothes than his sick wife."_

_“Yeah but he’s signing her out and we have no choice.” The other nurse said sadly as she helped Jo get dressed in the clothes he had brought for her._

She gulped as she watched Michael wearing Dean’s meat suit walk up to her. Jo could see it… Hell even her shell-shocked mind self knew it wasn’t really him. 

_Jo looked up as he walked towards her. She frowned, he was wearing a three-piece suit and an Irish scally cap. Her Dean didn't dress like that. The grin he gave her caused the hair at the back of her neck to stand on end. This wasn’t right._

_"Oh, I will have fun with you," he purred as he pulled her out of the chair and kissed her roughly. "What cat got our tongue...here let me help you sweet Jo." He said as he lifted his hand and touched her forehead and that was the last thing she remembered._

Rage coursed through her as she watched him bring her to his hotel suite. He used her love for Dean against her. She was conscious but still lost in her fantasies and he used them and her love for Dean against her. 

_Jo shook her head slightly, her head felt heavy and she could barely keep her eyes opened. Her feet shuffled along as Dean guided her through the room towards the bed. “Beddy-bye for you sweet Jo. I have big plans for you and you’re going to need your rest.”_

_She brushed her hair as she sat at the vanity. She looked at herself in the mirror and added a dab of lip gloss. She watched as he walked up behind her and lowered his head and kissed her bare shoulder. "Come sweet Jo, it's time I take you to bed and we begin making my new vessel."_

No…no…no. She didn’t want to see this…she didn’t want to watch herself having sex with them. 

_She moaned as he sank into her. She stared into his eyes and winced as he pounded into her. It was his eyes…they weren’t right. There was not tenderness…no feelings behind them. They weren’t the eyes she knew. As quickly as she felt that it was like light switch was flipped and he was her Dean again. His thrusts slowed as lowered his head and kissed her, whispering words of love._

She watched herself as the pieces began to slip into place. The bastard Michael wasn’t going to allow that to happen…not before she conceived his next vessel. She wanted to scream at herself to not give it away…but she couldn’t stop what was about to happen. She managed to make it even worst for herself. 

_Jo looked across the dining room table at Dean. Dining room…this was wrong. They didn’t have a dining room…their home was smaller…cozier. This didn’t feel like their home. She cocked her head slightly and narrowed her eyes as she watched him. She looked around the room. There were no pictures of them…of…of…of…a child…do they have a child…yes…yes…they have a little girl?_

_“Where’s is she, were is our daughter?” She asked. Dean scowled as he slammed his hand on the table, causing her to jump._

_He got up and stormed towards her and grabbed her chin roughly. “Stupid ape!” He snapped before releasing her chin and reaching up and touching her forehead, causing her to slump into her chair as she passed out._

_Michael watched her as she slept. This was taking longer than he thought it would take. She was fighting her memories. He need her to be compliant, but she had begun questioning him. He smirked as he realized who he needed and turning he snapped his fingers and saw the portal opened. “I’m coming for you brother.” He said as he stepped through the portal towards his problem’s solution._

She was sick to her stomach as she watched herself. She remembered…she could hear them, but she couldn’t cry out for them to stop. 

_Gabriel looked down at the woman in the bed. “Why don’t you just let her go?”_

_“Gabriel you will do as I command, or I will make you suffer like never before.” Michael said._

She wanted to scream as she watched how weak she was at this point and because of her weakness she was used as a pawn. God her Mom, Dad and Rufus would have been so disappointed in her. Her weakness made it so easy for Gabriel to manipulate. 

_Jo smiled as Dean sat on the floor playing with Siobhan. She looked up and saw his hunting buddy Gabriel watching the scene next to her. She frowned at the sadness in his eyes. “Gabe?”_

_The other man looked down at her and tentatively reached out and took her hand in his. “I’m doing this to keep you safe.”_

_“Doing…Gabe, what are you talking about?” She asked but as quickly as the question left her mouth she turned towards Dean and her daughter. “Honey, I’m going to start her bath, can you bring her up in a few.” She called out before looking back at Gabe. “I’m sorry what were you saying?”_

  
_“Nothing Darling,” He told her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek._

She felt sick to her stomach…the most amazing thing to ever happen to her. Conceiving her Amelia should have been joyful. Instead she had to watch Michael gloat at what he had done to her and Dean. 

_Jo looked up as Dean came into their bedroom. She watched as he stripped off his flannel shirt as he walked into the bathroom. She grinned when he walked back into the room with test in his hand. “Guess who’s gonna be a Daddy again.”_

_Dean grinned at her and said “perfect.” She smiled as his eyes flashed silver and his clothes suddenly changed to that three-piece suit that felt wrong to her._

Jo growled angrily as she watched herself and Gabriel in that shithole cabin Michael moved them too once Ami was conceived. They were both prisoners and her heart broke for the archangel as he weep for his broken family. 

_“Your job is to keep her believing in her little pretend world,” Michael reminded his brother as he stood over his cage. “Maybe I need to give you more of an incentive to do what I command.”_

_“No…no…I’ll do it.” Gabriel said as he watched Michael with weary eyes before turning his attention to the woman lying on the mattress on floor of the cabin they were being kept._

Jo swallowed as she realized she was seeing the point that Gabriel decided to help her get away from Michael who had abandoned Dean’s meat suit. This was when he began altering her memories. 

_Jo looked up at Gabriel as the tears slid down her cheeks. “It’s not fair. She’s our baby girl and we love her so much. She doesn’t deserve this.”_

_“I know Darling,” Gabriel pulled her close and hugged her. “I’m sorry you have to go through this.”_

_Jo watched as she saw herself for the first time in the other dimension._

_She looked up as her eyes fluttered opened and she saw their faces looking down at her. “Easy there Darling,” Gabriel said as he helped her sit up._

_“Is she okay?”_

_Jo turned towards the voice and smiled. “I’m fine John, really.” She said as she looked over at her husband. “Honey, tell your Dad to stop being such a worry wart.”_

Jo felt guilty as she watched the other dimension Dean trying to play being a good husband to her. 

_“I’m sorry Sweetheart but I have to go on this hunt with Sammy…Dad will take you to your appointment.” Dean said as he gave her a strained smile and kissed her cheek awkwardly._

She shook her head as she watched herself. The confusion she felt at the way Dean was behaving. 

_Jo came out of the bathroom and walked across the room. She sighed as she looked at her husband’s back before slipping into their bed. “Goodnight,” she heard him say gruffly. She tried not to cry…they should be happy…they were having a baby, but he would barely look at her._

She felt guilty as she watched herself spying on Dean. She can see the pain etched on her face and the sympathy on Dean’s. 

_She stood on the other side of doorway as she listened to Dean speak on the phone. “Lisa…Baby I’m sorry okay. I miss you both too, but she’s only has about a month to go and she wants me close by. I have to play the dutiful husband. Yeah well…this was for Ben and I don’t regret it. No clue…it’s like living with a talking barbie doll. Who knows what goes through her mind? It’s fucked up what they’ve done to her. Yeah…I know..I feel sorry for her too because I don’t think she signed up knowingly for any of this.”_

She tilted her head as she watched as Gabriel held her in his arms. Talking barbie doll wasn’t an exaggeration. Her eyes were open, but they were vacant, and she watched the last pieces of the puzzle fall into place. 

_“What do you mean you’re taking her,” John said as the three men stood before the angel._

  
_“She doesn’t belong here. The other dimension is safe for her now. I’m taking her back.”_

_“At least let her stay until she has the baby,” Sam said as he looked at the woman in the Gabriel’s arms._

_“No, she’s coming with me now.”_

_“And what you’ll wipe her memories of this dimension,” Dean said in disgust._

_“No, that won’t work. I’ve already begun planting the new memories.”_

_Dean narrowed his eyes at Gabriel. “I want to say goodbye to her. Just her. You wake her up and let me do this.”_

_“One would think you actually care about her.” Gabriel taunted._

_“Now dammit!” Dean hissed as he walked over and held his arms out._

_Gabriel stared the man in the eyes and relented as he touched Jo’s forehead to wake her completely before letting Dean take her in his arms and went into the other room. He shook his head when John and Sam stood before him. “You know I can just snap my fingers and be in the other room.”_

_“Yeah but you’re going to keep your word, right.” John said as he puffed up his chest. Even at 65 the man was imposing figure._

_Gabriel smirked at the other men. “Don’t worry, I’ll let him say goodbye.”_

_Dean sat on the couch with Jo. “Look we don’t have much time.”_

_“Dean you’re scaring me,” Jo said as she looked into her husband’s eyes._

_“I’m sorry Sweetheart. I’m sorry that I agreed to be part of this.” He said as he cupped her cheek._

_“Part of what?”_

_Dean reached behind him and pulled out his journal. “Take this…when you’re ready I want you to read it; my message for you. It’s in the binding…look in the binding. I want you to know the truth. You deserve to know the truth. Just know that we all care about you and this baby. That’s your job now, you have to protect this baby.”_

_“I don’t understand.” She murmured in confusion._

_“I know Sweetheart. I know but you will eventually.” He said as he leaned forward and kissed her gently on lips. “Now hide the journal, don’t let him see it..”_

_“Him?” She asked as she took the book and tucked the book into her inside pocket of her jacket._

_“Gabriel, you’re going with Gabriel. He’ll get you to where you need to go.”_

_“When will you join us?”_

_“Jo you will be with the right one soon. Trust your instincts.” He told her as he reached down and took her hand in his. “It’s time.”_

_Jo numbly followed Dean back into the other room. She looked up when John and Sam walked over to her._

_“You take care Jo,” Sam said as he pulled her in for a tight hug._

_John smiled as Sam stepped back. “Remember you promised to call her Amelia after her great grandmother.” He told her as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you for these past few months.” He whispered into her ear._

_“It’s time.” Gabriel said as he stepped forward. “Come here Darling,” he urged Jo who went willing to him. The three hunters watched as Gabriel leaned down and kissed Jo. They watched as the young woman’s eyes glazed over. “You need to leave us alone as I open the portal.” He instructed the three men._

_“You swear she will be cared for.” Dean said as he looked at Jo._

_“Yes,” Gabriel said. “Her Dean cares for her. He may never have been able to admit it, but he loves her the way you love your Lisa. He’ll care for her and their child.”_

_“I hope you’re right,” he said as he looked at Jo one last time before turning to his father and brother. “Come on,” he urged them._

_Gabriel watched the three walked into the other room before turning his attention back to Jo. He hand reached up and he touched her forehead and Jo looked around the room. Her eyes fell on her husband’s “body” that suddenly appeared in front of her. “DEAN!” she shouted._

_“Jo we can’t stay here any longer, I need to get you and the baby through the portal now.” Gabriel said as he played his part._

_She sobbed as she nodded her head. The portal…Dean told her she would have to go through the portal and protect the baby. That was her job to protect Amelia. She accepted Gabriel’s hand as the rift opened and they ran through it together._


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo wake up and remembers what really happened before they came through the portal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback and kudos for this story!!! I really appreciate them!! So Jo's pretty pissed at the hand she's been dealt and she has her journey that she needs to go on and hopefully our Dean can accept and support her on her journey. Thank you again and enjoy! Val

Chapter 17 

Dean laid by Jo. It had been almost twenty-four hours since Cas had lowered the veil her memories were behind. At the eighteen-hour mark Sam had insisted they hook her up to a saline drip to prevent dehydration after Dean had carried her back to their bedroom. 

He ran his fingers through her hair. “You’re starting to scare me Sweetheart. Twenty-four hours…come on its time you wake up. You need to come back to me…to Amelia. Heck Sammy has paced a hole in the floor he’s so worried about you. Cas…Cas actually frowned when he came in the last time to check on you and well for him that’s practically hysterics.” 

He leaned down and kissed her temple. “Come on Jo,” he whispered in her ear. 

“Dean,” Sammy said as he walked back into the room with a tray of food. “Dude, you need to eat.” 

Dean ignored his brother as he sat up and grabbed his cell phone off the bedside table next to him. “I’m calling Jody. I want Ami here with us. I think she may come out of this if our daughter is here.” 

Sam stared at his brother. “What…we haven’t dealt with Gabriel yet. We can’t bring Ami back until we handle him.” 

Dean sighed. “He’s no threat to Jo or Ami. He loves her. Plus, I think he’s on our side. I don’t think there is any love lost between him and Chuck.” 

“Dean I get it; I hate seeing her like this too…” 

  
“No, you don’t! She’s not the woman you love!” He snapped. Dean closed his eyes when he saw the hurt in his brother’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you care about…” 

“Love. Dean I love Jo too. She my family…my sister.” He told his brother. 

Dean sighed. “I know you do,” he said as he looked up at his brother. “She’s reliving it…all of it.” 

“I’m afraid too,” Sam said as he sat down on the chair by the bed. “She’s reliving her most painful memories and there’s no way around the fact that we played a part in some.” 

Dean snorted at that. “Played a part in some. Sammy her death…her resurrection….the eight years in the mental hospitals…her memories being turned into friggin swiss cheese is directly because of us.” 

“She love you,” Sam said trying to reassure his brother. 

“It’s still a lot to expect her to move past everything. It was one thing when she thought she was from another dimension and heard what happened in Duluth and Carthage…about how our father caused her father’s death…how we ultimately caused Ellen’s. How do we come back from that?” He asked. 

“Hey,” Sam said as he watched his brother carefully. “Remember during her darkest time you were the one she imagined a life with. If she couldn’t accept you she wouldn’t have imagine a life where she felt safe and loved by you.” 

“I guess.” 

“I know.” Sam said firmly. “Give Jo the credit she deserves.” 

Dean slowly stood up and looked down at Jo. “I’m calling Jody. I need Ami here now.” 

Sam nodded his head as he watched Dean walk out of the room before turning his attention back to Jo and took her hand in his. “Hey Jo…well I’m sure you heard him. He’s calling Jody and Ami will be here soon. I know that will make you happy when you wake up.” 

“It’s weird…sitting with you like this. We never told you but after you and Ellen…after you both died. When we told Rufus; he sat Shiva for you both and we…me, Dean and Bobby joined him. It was the only way we could really honor you both…since we couldn’t give you a hunter funeral.” 

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat. “Jo, I don’t think Dean can watch this much longer. Come on Jo, you need to wake up.” He urged. 

“Jody, Claire and Ami will be here in the morning.” Dean said as he walked back into their bedroom. 

“I was telling her about when we sat Shiva with Rufus,” Sam said as he looked at his brother. 

Dean snorted, “that old coot really cared for her. I think she reminded him of his daughter…umm…” Dean shook his head. “I can’t believe I can’t think of his daughter’s name.” 

“Rebecca.” A voice murmured. 

They both turned in shock as they saw Jo’s eyes flutter open and heard her say. “Her name was Rebecca.” 

“Jo,” Dean cried as he dropped to knees beside her bed as reached out to touch her cheek. 

“How long?” 

“Twenty-four hours,” Sam said as he handed Dean a bottle of water. 

“Small sips,” Dean urged as he held the bottle up to her lips. “Sammy I think you can take the IV out.” 

Jo sat up and accepted the bottle, drinking it while watching Sam’s movements. Once the IV was out she looked up at the two hunters. “Did you say Jody will be here in the morning?” 

“Yeah,” Dean said as he watched Jo as she tried to sit. “Whoa, let me help you.” He said as he reached out to help her sit up. 

He frowned when he saw the way she flinched at his touch. “How do you feel?” 

“How the fuck do you think I feel!” She snapped. No sooner did the words leave her mouth did she look up in horror at Dean and Sam. “I’m sorry…sorry…” 

Dean stood up. “It’s fine. You’re probable hungry, there’s a sandwich on the tray next to you. We’ll give you some time.” He shot a look at Sammy who also got up. “If you need anything, just let me know.” 

Jo nodded her head mutely as she watched the two men leave before tossing the covers aside and getting up. Ignoring the sandwich, she went into the bathroom…she needed a shower. 

Twenty minutes later a freshly showered and dressed Jo stood in the doorway to the bedroom, her eyes falling upon the desk in the corner. Taking a deep breath, she went over and picked up the journal sitting on top of the desk. 

Her hands shook as she sat down in the chair that Sam had been sitting in. Opening the book, she examined the binding and saw a small slit. A few seconds later she had peeled back the fabric to reveal a several envelopes. She looked at the one that was titled – Jo, from Dean and knew she had to read it first as she remembered what he said to her before they came through the portal. 

" _I'm sorry Sweetheart. I'm sorry that I agreed to be part of this." He said as he cupped her cheek._

" _Part of what?"_

_Dean reached behind him and pulled out his journal. "Take this…when you're ready I want you to read it; our messages for you are in there. They're in the binding…look in the binding. I want you to know the truth. You deserve to know the truth. Just know that we all care about you and this baby. That's your job now, you have to protect this baby."_

" _I don't understand." She murmured in confusion._

 _._

" _I know Sweetheart. I know but you will eventually." He said as he leaned forward and kissed her gently on lips. "Now hide the journal, don't let him see it."_

" _Him?" She asked as she took the book and tucked the book into her inside pocket of her jacket._

" _Gabriel, you're going with Gabriel. He'll get you to where you need to go."_

" _When will you join us?"_

" _Jo you will be with the right one soon. Trust your instincts." He told her as he reached down and took her hand in his. "It's time."_

She shook her head. They weren’t dead. They were alive…those were more planted memories. Why didn’t Gabriel tell them? More games…she was getting sick and tired of all the games. Taking a deep breath, she opened the envelope in her hands and pulled out the paper inside and began to read the other Dean’s message to her. 

**_Jo,_**

**_So, Sweetheart if you’re reading this then I guess you finally got your true memories back. That’s good and I’m glad for you._**

**_I probably should say I’m sorry for my part in what was done to you and I am sorry, but I would do it again. You’re gonna be a Mama soon yourself and I know you’ll understand._**

**_I agreed to pretend to be your husband and the father of your baby because Gabriel said he would heal Ben. I know you don’t know Ben but he’s my son...well not really my son but I’ve been with his mom since he was a toddler and I’m the only man he ever called Dad._**

**_Six months ago, we found out he had stage 4 leukemia. Can you imagine what it’s like watching your child suffer? God(or should I say Chuck…yeah Gabriel gave me the highlights), I hope you never experience it! I can hunt any supernatural bastard out there, but I couldn’t fight the thing killing my son._**

**_Then suddenly Gabriel and you were just there, and he made me an offer. Play the part of dutiful husband and father and he would heal Ben. I’m sorry Jo. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t let Ben die. So, I made the deal with Gabriel._**

**_I know it caused you pain. The way I keep a barrier between. I hope you understand now why I acted that way. I do care about you and I know I can a giant douche at times, but I would never take advantage of a woman. That and I would never cheat on Lisa._**

**_If I had known that Gabriel would play with your mind because of the way I acted around you I would have tried harder though. Haven’t dealt with an angel before this. I never expected him to be an asshole._**

**_Look he told me he was bringing you back to your dimension since it was now safe for you. He said he was bringing you back to that Dean and that he is the real father of your baby._**

**_I don’t know this other Dean but from what Gabriel has told me it’s pretty obvious we’ve lived very different lives._**

**_Just trust yourself Jo…you’re a hunter. That dick angel may have altered your memories, but he couldn’t change your natural instincts. If something feels off then trust yourself because I know I would trust you with my life._**

**_I doubt you’ll remember it, but you would just sprout off different ways to kill some big nasty whenever you were in the room while we discuss a hunt (and you were right every single time). Tell us where we were going wrong on our research(again you were always right…kinda annoying to be honest with you). It was just second nature for you, same way you would play with any loose hunting knives that were hanging around. Only somebody truly comfortable with a weapon like that would handle them the way you do._**

**_Anyway, the reason I’m saying this stuff is because part of me thinks something big is going down in your dimension. This past week there has been more activity than normal around here and the old man thinks it’s some carry over from what is happening in your dimension. I hate to say it, but I think Gabriel is taking you out of the pan and putting you and the baby in the fire. It’s the not knowing why that pisses me off._**

**_Okay, I just needed to get that off my chest. There are a few more letters from you. Letters from Lisa, Ben, Sammy and believe it or not my old man. Damn if you didn’t worm your way into his grouchy old heart…gave me and Sammy a few chuckles watching him turning into a softie in front of us…never thought I would ever see my Dad beaming like an idiot while looking at a sonogram photo._**

**_Take care Jo and remember trust your instinct!_**

**_Dean_**

Jo wiped away her tears. She was going to deck Gabriel for making her think those horrible thoughts about him and the rest of them. Chewing on her lower lip she opened the envelope that was addressed To Jo, From Lisa. 

**_Hello Jo,_**

**_I know we never met but I know I owe you for my son’s life. I can’t thank you enough. I know this must be weird for you. It was weird for me too!_**

**_I want you to understand…my Dean is a good man. He did what he did for my son. He may not be Ben’s biological father, but he loves him, and he’s been Ben’s dad in every way over the past ten years. When he asked me about Gabriel’s offer…I didn’t think twice. I told him to do whatever it takes. That Ben was worth it._**

**_I just want to say I hope you find your happiness with your Dean. Enjoy and cherish your daughter Jo. She is the greatest gift you will ever receive…just like my Ben is mine and thanks to you he was given back to me._**

**_Thank you doesn’t express how grateful I am but thank you. Take care of yourself and your daughter._**

**_Forever Grateful,_**

**_Lisa_**

Jo smiled…yeah your Dean is a good man Lisa she thought to herself. Sighing she then read the letters from Ben and Sam. She stared at the last letter. It was the letter John wrote to her. She closed her eyes as she thought about John. He had been so good to her. She spent most of her time with the eldest Winchester. She opened his envelope and slipped the piece of paper out. 

**_Hey Kiddo,_**

**_Well you found the letters that means you got you real memories back. I know Dean covered what we felt regarding Gabriel. Not sure how much I trust that prick…so watch your back Kiddo and trust your hunter instinct._**

**_Okay I’m not one to talk about my feelings…especially after my Mary’s death. At first when you came to us I know we were all pretty leery about you and Gabriel. Like I said I never trusted him that much but you…Jo you became the daughter Mary and I never had. Mary and I always wanted a girl…even thought maybe Dean was a girl at first._**

**_Anyway when the boys began going out on hunts after you got here it kinda fell on me to watch out for you and at first we booth kept to ourselves but I don’t know one night after dinner we ended up playing poker and well we just connected and began to spend more time together._**

**_Somewhere along the lines you stopped being my pretend daughter in law and you became a daughter to me. If I had my way you and the baby would still be with us. I’m still not sure about Gabriel taking you to this other dimension but I guess that Dean does deserve to know you’re alive and be with his baby._**

**_I just want you to know…if you ever need us we’re here for you. You find a way to open that portal Jo(and trust me if anyone can figure out how it’s you). You and the baby come home to us. We’re your family and don’t you forget it. Gabriel may have played with your mind and your memories but oh Hell we love you Kiddo and he couldn’t control that; he couldn’t control our feelings._**

**_You take care Jo and you take care of my granddaughter Amelia._**

**_John_**

Jo took several deep breaths as she folded the letters and stored them back in the lining of the book. Sniffling she went over and grabbed the sandwich from the tray, eating it as she made her way down to confront Gabriel. 

SPNSPNSPNSPN 

Gabriel turned when heard the door open to his cell and watched as Jo walked into the room. He could see it, the clarity in her eyes. They had done it, Castiel had lowered the veil and her memories were back. All of them the real ones, the fantasies and the planted memories. He could see she remembered everything. 

“Are you alright?” He asked as he sat up. 

Jo frowned as she shook her head. “Not really.” 

He stared as she looked down at her bare feet. “Jo…” 

“Why…why didn’t you tell me they were alive…that their ‘deaths’ were planted memories?” 

The angel shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.” 

“You don’t know!” She shouted as her head snapped up. “Even those few short hours after we talked…that I thought they had died because of me…the guilt I felt! What the Hell is wrong with you!” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Not good enough,” she said as began pacing in front of him. “Bet you didn’t know that they wrote me letters before we left.” 

Gabriel’s shook his head slightly. “What are you talking about?” 

“Before your last great hurrah, you let Dean say goodbye to me. He gave me his journal…the journal that we used to begin to piece things together. He also hid letters for me from them in it too. The funny thing is…there was a running theme in the letters from Dean, Sam and John. Basically, watch my back and trust my instincts.” 

Gabriel sighed and murmured, “I see.” 

Jo nodded her head as she saw the way he was looking at her. “So, I’m following their advice and I’m trusting my instincts and my instincts is telling me that you are holding back, and I want to know what you’re not telling me.” 

“Jo, I get that you’re angry but…” 

“Don’t!” she snapped, cutting him off. “Don’t you dare try to say I’m wrong! There’s more to the story and I want the truth!” 

Gabriel went on the offensive. “You think there’s more to the story then you tell me. You’re the hunter with the instinct…so come on Columbo…tell me what I left out.” He taunted. 

Jo narrowed her eyes. “Fine jackass, I will!” She sneered as she grabbed the chair in the corner and slammed it down in front of the bed and sat down. She took several deep breaths as she watched the angel in front of her. 

Was he fidgeting? Was he nervous? No…not nervous, he couldn’t look her in the eyes. No…not nervous…more like embarrassed or ashamed. 

She was a good hunter…she did have good instincts. She sat back and really looked at Gabriel. That’s when she notice that his hair was greyer than she remembered. There were more wrinkles around his eyes, and he had a few scars that she could see from where Michael had sliced and dice him with an angel blade when they were being held captive. 

She wondered how long he had been in his vessel. She kicked herself for never asking Cas back at Bobby how long their vessels lasted because Gabriel’s looked like it was ready for an overhaul. Slowly she began cataloging what she was seeing. 

“Why did you help me? Why did you take me away from Michael?” She asked. 

He looked up at her. “Think what you want but I wasn’t about to let him experiment on you or your baby.” 

“Amelia.” Jo murmured as she consider what Michael went through so that she was conceived. “She must be pretty valuable, considering her father is Michael’s sword.” She said frowning, swallowing at the way Gabriel avoided her gaze. “Oh God, that’s it isn’t it. She’s the perfect vessel for an archangel. An archangel like yourself.” 

Gabriel closed his eyes and hung his head. “Jo, I swear that wasn’t why I brought you to the other dimension.” 

Jo snorted, “Of course not.” 

“I’m not a monster like Michael!” He argued. 

Jo shook her head. “I want to believe you but after everything that you’ve done. Playing with my memories…locking Castiel up…then using your mojo to make us think we were seeing Cas when it was just a pretend image you created…taunting us and that ridiculous childish scavenger hunt. Then when you finally come clean you don’t tell us everything…even when you knew I would find out the truth.” 

“I risked everything for you. I was able to hide you from Michael, but I still faced him. I had to leave you there since he could find you through me. I came back here. I came back and he torture me, and I never gave you away.” He said as he tentatively reached out and took her hands in his. 

Jo stared at their joined hands. “Then come with me and confess everything to the others.” 

“You want me to confess to Dean Winchester that I want to ask his daughter to someday to join me and to be my vessel. He’ll kill me! Again!” He cried. 

She chewed on her lower lip. “I’ll stand by you, but I’m done with lies and half-truths Gabriel. I’ve lost too much time and I can’t have an honest relationship with Dean or anyone else including you if we don’t do this.” 

Gabriel looked up in shock. “You want a relationship with me?” 

Jo sighed, “you’re a jackass but I still love you.” 

The archangel smiled at her. “Well then let’s get this over with.” 

Jo stood up and reached into her back pocket and pulled out the angle proof handcuffs. “Sorry but you have to wear these.” 

“Of course, I do,” he said as he held stood up and put his hands behind his back. 

Jo quickly slapped the handcuffs on, giving Gabriel’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Let’s do this,” she said as she went over and place a large piece of duct tape over a section of the sigil on the floor so that Gabriel could leave the room and make his final confession. 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so Gabriel has his own agenda to a certain point but he does love Jo in his own way. Who knows maybe Jo and Ami will be good for Gabriel...help him actually 'grow up' in a way.


End file.
